Housing for all by 2022 is a great challenge, says Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi, Apr 27: Terming the target of housing for all by 2022 a "great challenge", Union Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said public and private sector cooperation is needed to make it possible.

"States and the Centre must work together and it is the need of the hour. Private sector involvement is also required for it," Naidu said at the function organised to mark the 45th foundation day of Hudco here.

Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd(HUDCO), a PSU under the ministry, provides technical and financial assistance for housing with special focus on the economically weaker sections in both rural and urban areas.

We have a participatory system and public-private participation should be worked in a way to deliver good results, he said.

'Housing for All'-a new urban housing mission, has been approved by the Union Cabinet with the goal of constructing about 2 crore houses in all the 4,041 statutory towns and cities of the country by the year 2022, coinciding with the historic occasion of 75 years of independence of the country.

"Land is required for development. You need land for building airport, road, rail line. You also need land for housing," he said, adding, "lot of projects are held up due the problem of land acquisition."

He also said agriculture is not beneficial these days due to the vagaries of weather and climate change. Taking note of rapid urbanization in the near future, he said "Urbanisation is a reality.

Because urban areas have better job opportunities, facility for health, education are more than rural areas."

According to a recent report by McKinsey Global Institute, in the next 20 years, India will have 68 cities with a population over one million — up from 42 today.

PTI