(a) whether the Government proposes to chalk out any action plan for providing low cost housing for middle class and poor people by bringing new innovative technology and in particular use of eco friendly, easily available and cheap building materials like bamboo;
and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION (KUMARI SELJA)
(a) & (b): ‘Land’ and ‘Colonisation’ being State subjects, it is primarily the responsibility
of State Governments to provide for adequate Shelter. However, Union Government has formulated
the first urban area focused National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy, 2007 with an overall
aim of realizing the goal of ‘Affordable Housing for All’, particularly the Economically
Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG).
Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), an autonomous body of the Ministry
of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, has been working towards development, use and
dissemination of cost effective technology suiting local conditions including eco friendly
bamboo for structural use in housing sector for mass uses. The Council has constructed
demonstration structures in Bamboo in Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya. It has also
established mat production centres in Tripura and Meghalaya so as to make available the
raw-materials for bamboo based products to be used in housing.