chandigarh

Updated: Feb 07, 2020 02:07 IST

There is a shortage of accommodation provided to government officials in the country, especially in Delhi and Chandigarh, Union minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Puri said in Parliament on Thursday while responding to a question raised by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member.

There is a total shortfall of 20,054 houses in Delhi with only 61,291 available as against a demand of 81,345 houses. In Chandigarh, the shortfall is of 207 houses — 2,521 available as against demand of 2,728.

Puri said the shortage of General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) is “due to non-availability of land at central locations in metropolitan cities and the fact that House Rent Allowance (HRA) admissible is not commensurate with the actual rent in these cities”.

The allotment of central government bungalows is done through the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Act under the administrative control of the directorate of estates under the ministry of housing and urban affairs.

Allotment of GPRA is governed as per the provisions of the Allotment of Government Residences (general pool in Delhi) Rules, 1963, and executive instructions issued there under from time to time.

“Government has taken various steps to augment the general pool residential accommodation by way of construction of new residential units, outright purchase of ready-built flats or redevelopment of existing government colonies,” Puri said.

The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) had approved the proposal of redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar Government Colony in March 2012, Puri said. The project was started by NBCC (India) Ltd. in May 2013.

“This redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar will provide 4,608 Dwelling Units so far. The agency has provided 2,758 Dwelling units so far. Further the Union Cabinet in July 2016 approved the proposal of redevelopment of the seven government colonies at Mohammadpur, Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Kasturba Nagar and Srinivaspuri. The project envisaged replacement of existing 12,970 dwelling units in these colonies with 24,917 dwelling units,” Puri said.

In Chandigarh, Central Public Works Department of India (CPWD) is constructing 42 new flats, he told the House.