Introduction
Adequate shelter that provides security and safety is a fundamental need and a basic human right. A major challenge in the 21st century is the creation of liveable urban areas, given the rapid urban growth across the world, in particular the global south. More than half the world’s population now lives in cities. While the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognized the power of cities and towns which will constitute 70 per cent of the world population by 2050, SDG 11 is specifically on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Not surprisingly, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in 2016 (Habitat III) emphasised the need for a New Urban Agenda, which would lay out the framework for how best to promote sustainable urbanisation1.
However, there are many developing countries on the path to urbanization but with little resources to meet basic infrastructure needs, including housing. Kerala has urbanized significantly between 2001 and 2011 and has the highest proportion of urban population, 47.72 per cent, among the States of India (31.12 per cent for all-India). There is no doubt that urban housing needs to be properly planned; the crux of the problem lies in making it inclusive and sustainable for all. Habitat III in fact showcased LIFE (Livelihood, Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) an ambitious livelihood cum housing project of Kerala launched in late 2016, as a sustainable model for development.
Kerala is ahead of other Indian States both in terms of reducing housing deprivation and better quality of housing. But the houselessness among poor people in some areas and poor quality dilapidated houses among the vulnerable sections of the society are the major issues of housing sector in Kerala. As per the State Planning Board survey 2016 on housing of vulnerable communities, 12.04 per cent were residing in dilapidated houses. Decentralised planning since late 90s and building of houses by local bodies has addressed the problem of houselessness to a considerable extent.
The magnitude of houseless households and landless/houseless households varies across the local bodies in the State, rural and urban. From the data compiled from 1,011 Panchayats, 59 Municipalities and 5 Corporations, it is seen that 420,806 households were houseless and another 157,562 were landless in the year 2009 (Report of the Expert Group on Housing, Planning Board, 2016). Around 1,35,769 new housing units were constructed for the houseless and 10.186 households were provided with land during 2010-2015 (March 2015). Based on this data it is noted that there was (i) a gap of 285,037 housing units for those who have land and (ii) 147,376 households remained landless. Taking into account double counting or overlapping of houseless households and landless households, the Expert Group assumed that the housing shortage will be less than 432,413 (houseless and landless) and would be around 3.5 lakh units as on March 31, 2015 (inclusive of landless houseless households).
According to 2011 Housing Census there were 336 houses for every 1,000 persons in Kerala (all-India 273 houses per 1,000 persons). The growth in residential buildings in Kerala during the period 1961 to 2011 was 3 times while it was 2 times at the all India level. As per data from LIFE Mission, which is also accepted by the 13th Plan Working Group Report on Housing, out of a total of 4.32 lakh houseless families, 1.58 lakh are landless and houseless, 2.3 lakh have land but are houseless and 44,000 houses are incomplete. The average size and quality of housing units in Kerala are far better than in the rest of the country. More than two-third households reside in good quality houses compared to 53.1 per cent for all-India; 95 per cent of houses in Kerala were electrified while it was only 67 per cent at the all India level. However, average cost per unit of a house in Kerala is more than four times the costs at the all-India level. Using environmental resources for building construction is also a major challenge in housing. The latest housing Census also shows that 10.6 per cent of the total census houses in Kerala remain vacant.
With the aim of eradicating houselessness in the next five years, the Government has started the Total Housing Mission or Project LIFE (Livelihood, Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) a major focus area during the 13th Five-Year Plan. The Mission envisages a comprehensive rehabilitation programme for the landless-homeless in the State including programmes relating to their sustenance, like social and financial security and skill up gradation for targeting a better livelihood. LIFE Mission aims at total of around 200,000 dwelling units. This together with training and employment creation activities is expected to directly benefit about 4.32 lakh families. With the help of LSGs and Kudumbasree, a comprehensive list of houseless, landless people and incomplete houses to be covered under LIFE Mission was prepared. Existing housing schemes of other Departments will be brought under this umbrella scheme. The beneficiary selection is under progress. During the 1st phase, the focus will be on completion of work related to incomplete houses.
Approach for the 13th Five-Year Plan
A safe, dignified and affordable housing to all is the strategy on Housing in the 13th Five-Year Plan of Kerala. The declared objectives of the Housing Mission to be implemented in the 13th Five-Year Plan include the following:
Need for housing for migrant workers has also been taken up seriously by the government of Kerala and reported in the section on Labour.
Agencies in the Housing Sector
The Government, both Central and the State, have been active in the housing sector with several innovative schemes and programmes to help the economically weaker sections. Housing schemes for SCs and STs were integrated with the centrally sponsored employment generating schemes such as NREP (National RuraI Employment Programme), RLEGP (Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme) and so on. Indira Awas Yojana, a flagship programme of the Government of India, was launched in 1996 with a view to address the housing problem of the rural poor. Centrally sponsored housing schemes such as Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY), Integrated Housing and Slum Development Project (IHSDP), Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP), National Fishermen Welfare Fund (NFWF), Interest Subsidy scheme for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), etc. provided financial assistance for constructing houses to the socially and economically weaker sections. Programmes such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission focused on acceleration of supply of land, shelter and infrastructure with special attention to provision of basic services to urban poor and upgradation of slums. Rajiv AwasYojana (RAY) was another scheme meant for solving the housing problem of the urban poor. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY) is a recent Central government programme launched with the objective of achieving the goal of “Housing for All by 2022” and it includes two components; PMAY (Rural) and PMAY (Urban). Kudumbasree is the State level nodal agency for implementation of PMAY (Urban) and Commissionerate of Rural Development is the implementing agency of PMAY (Rural). PMAY (Rural) aims to provide dwelling units to the homeless Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded laboures and other non SC/ST rural poor who are below poverty line and provides financial assistance for the construction of an additional room in houses occupied by SC families who have annual income below 1 lakh and a high school student in family. PMAY (Urban) scheme is to be implemented from 2015 to 2022 in all the 93 cities in the State.
More than 20 agencies are implementing housing schemes in the State. Eligibility criteria for identifying the poor for providing institutional support for housing of most of the schemes are transparent. Hence, those who fail to meet any of the criteria are not likely to get the benefit of public schemes. Local Self Government Institutions in Kerala have a prominent role in identifying the beneficiaries of housing schemes. The norms, unit cost, type design, structure and pattern of funding, and amount of subsidies vary widely across schemes. Guidelines of housing programmes of various Departments/Implementing Agencies indicate that the unit cost varied from 2 lakh to 7 lakh in the case of individual housing schemes and 15 lakh to 85 lakh in the case of community housing programmes such as construction of flats and duplex. It can also be seen that there is difference in unit cost under different schemes of same department or implementing agency. Similarly the type design varied from 20 sq. mt to 60 sq. mt. in the case of individual houses. The subsidy rate also varied under different schemes of different implementing agencies. For instance, the eligible subsidy under Grihasree and Saphalyam schemes is 2 lakh each against the unit cost of 4 lakh and 3.5 lakh respectively. The eligible subsidy offered by Scheduled Caste Development Department is 2 lakh and Scheduled Tribes Development Department is 2.5 lakh for their beneficiaries. In most of the cases though there is suggestion for mobilizing beneficiary contribution for the construction of the house, it has not been strictly followed owing to various reasons. Regarding the criteria for the selection of beneficiaries, different departments follow different norms. The income limit fixed for eligibility for financial assistance is 1 lakh for Above Poverty Line beneficiaries and below 2 lakh for low income group beneficiaries by the Housing Board. It also requires that the beneficiary should have 2 to 3 cents of land for availing financial assistance for house construction.
The important agencies involved in housing include Local self-Government Department including Kudumbasree, Kerala State Housing Board, Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra, Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, SC/ST Development Departments. Non–governmental agencies such as COSTFORD and Habitat Technology group, Co-operative societies and Corporations such as Kerala State Co-operative Housing Federation and Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation have helped in constructing houses. Several NGOs too, have contributed significantly. Other Departments like Labour, Fisheries, Sainik Welfare, Urban Affairs and Minority Welfare are also implementing various affordable housing schemes for the poor labourers and economically weaker sections. These agencies/departments have provided assistance to construct around 5,13,795 houses during the period from 2011-12 to 2016-17(up to March 2017). Achievements under major housing schemes by different housing agencies in Kerala are given in Appendix 4.3.66.
Kerala State Housing Board
Innovative Housing Scheme: This scheme aims to provide flats on rental basis to the poor urban workers who are increasingly displaced from the city limits or from their work places. 24 flats have been constructed in 2016-17 and a total of 184 flats were constructed under the scheme in various urban centres.
Grihasree Housing Scheme: In this scheme financial assistance is given as Government subsidy at the rate of 2 lakh/house for the construction of houses in EWS/LIG category in their own land with the support of voluntary organizations. 1,288 houses have been assisted in 2016-17 and 157 houses up to 31 August 2017. A total of 2,337 houses were constructed under the scheme. The total number of beneficiaries was 3,144 out of which 913 were females. The total number of beneficiaries was 3,144 out of which 913 were females.
Saphalyam Housing Scheme (flats for BPL category) – The scheme envisages support services and infrastructure facilities for the construction of flats for BPL category. Unit cost of 280 sq. ft flat will be 3.50 lakh (2 lakh Government subsidy, 1 lakh loan from HUDCO, 0.25 lakh voluntary contribution from NGO and 0.25 lakh beneficiary contribution). 24 flats were constructed in 2016-17 and a total of 72 flats have been constructed so far under this scheme.
Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra
In 2016-17, Nirmithi Kendra conducted eight training programmes on conceptual proposal for “Zero Energy-Zero Discharge Buildings” to create awareness in green technology concepts to students and publics at various places and seven training programmes in the production of Biogas units. Cement and Steel were supplied to various BPL beneficiaries though “Kalavaras.” National Habitat Museum was set up in the KESNIK Campus, PTP Nagar to display traditional building material, artifacts etc.
KESNIK organised 49 training programmes were organized through 14 regional centres, benefiting 652 people in masonry, carpentry, production of CEEE (Cost Effective and Energy Efficient) and Green Building Materials and other related areas such as home art, terracotta, landscaping to find self-employment opportunities in the respective field. Out of the total, 570 trainees were women.
The International School of Habitat Studies (LaBISHaS) organized eight training programmes for college students to create better awareness in Cost Effective Eco-Friendly (CEEF) technologies.
Kerala State Co-operative Housing Federation
This agency provides financing facilities to the affiliated primary co-operative housing societies (PCHS) for the construction of houses and repair/extension. In 2016-17, an amount of 5,948.47 lakh and in 2017-18 (up to July 31, 2017) an amount of 1,795.46 lakh have been disbursed among EWS, LIG, MIG and others for constructing 1361 and 452 housing units respectively. The details of houses assisted and amount disbursed by Kerala State Co-operative Housing Federation is given in Appendix 4.3.67.
Other Major Agencies Involved in Construction of Houses
a. Department of Local Self Government-
In 2016-17, under various schemes implemented by Kudumbasree 829 houses were constructed and 46,166 houses by Commissionerate of Rural Development. 3,450 houses were constructed under various schemes by Directorate of Urban Affairs and Directorate of Panchayaths.
b. Scheduled Tribes Development Department-
General Housing Scheme- This scheme aims to provide financial support to houseless Scheduled Tribes for construction/repair of houses. The amount provided in this scheme is at the rate of 3.50 lakh/house for new houses. Total Number of houses assisted so far under the scheme was 2,498.
c. Scheduled Caste Development Department-
The Department implements development programme for Vulnerable Communities like Vedan, Nayadiesetc whose annual income should not exceed 50,000. The Scheme is to provide an amount of 7.25 lakh for the purchase of land and house. In 2016-17, the number of houses constructed by the Department under the scheme was 102.
d. Sainik Welfare Housing Department-
The Department Provides house building grant to disabled servicemen before completion of terms of engagement, recruits, war widows and widows of Jawans who died in harness. The beneficiaries’ annual income limit is 1.5 lakh and the present rate of grant is 1 lakh. The income limit is not applicable to the war widows and war disabled Ex-servicemen. In 2016-17 (up to March 31, 2017) assistance was provided to one household under the scheme. (Source: Housing Commissionerate, Thiruvananthapuram.)