Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation

04-December-2012 16:41 IST

Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has recently revised the income criteria for fixing eligibility for various Housing schemes being implemented by Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation targeting the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) / Low Income Group (LIG) beneficiaries. This was stated by Shri Ajay Maken, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA), in the Lok Sabha today, in a reply to a question by Shri Suresh Angadi & Shri A. Venkata Rami Reddy.

The Minister stated that the income ceilings for the Economically Weaker Section household has been enhanced from up to Rs.5,000 per month to up to Rs.1,00,000 per annum and that of Lower Income Group has been increased from Rs.5001-10,000 per month to Rs.1,00,001 to Rs.2,00,000 per annum. It is not possible to assess the number of likely beneficiaries as the revision of income criteria is an economic parameter for determining the eligibility.

The Minister further stated that the new criteria for income revision have been conveyed to all State Governments, Union Territories and Central Nodal Agencies namely National Housing Bank (NHB) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO). NHB and HUDCO in turn have informed all Banks, Financial Institutions (FIs) and Housing Finance Companies (HFCs). The notification has been uploaded on the Ministry’s website.

Revision of income criteria is only an economic parameter to decide on the eligibility of the beneficiaries entitled for availing benefits under the scheme. The housing needs of the EWS and LIG are to be addressed by various programmes being implemented by this Ministry and State Governments along with active participation of Private Sector and Banks/ Financial Institutions . However, this will enable a larger number of people to access credit and partake in various schemes, the Minister added.

RM/RS- SQ159 - LS

Income eligibility revision for housing schemes expands access to credit and programme participation for EWS and LIG. Revision of eligibility income criteria raises the qualifying income ceilings for EWS and LIG households, and the new ceilings have been communicated to State Governments, Union Territories and central nodal agencies, which have notified banks, financial institutions and housing finance companies and uploaded the notification on the Ministry website to enable wider access to credit and programme participation.