Housing scheme failed due to lack of planning: CAG
Real Estate

Housing scheme failed due to lack of planning: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General report on "Social, General and Economic Sectors (Non-Public Sector Undertakings) of Union Territory of Delhi" for the year ended March 2018 noted that the Delhi government's plan to provide affordable housing to the city's poor and rehabilitate those living in slum clusters failed due to a lack of planning from the conceptual stage itself.

One element of the CAG's performance audit of various Delhi government departments was the evaluation of affordable housing projects for urban poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

The audit showed that despite 461 of the 675 targeted JJ clusters, which were to receive in situ rehabilitation, being in the remaining seven districts, all 14 housing projects conceptualised by Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) were restricted to only four districts. “Also, instead of small clusters evenly spread all over Delhi, housing projects with a large number of dwelling units were planned,” the report stated.

For economically disadvantaged sections, DSIIDC and DUSIB completed 14 housing projects totaling 52,344 apartments, but four of them, totaling more than 24,000 homes, were still unfinished more than a year after the scheme's closure. “It resulted in expenditure of Rs 755.3 crore remaining infructuous,” stated the report.

The Delhi government has been asked for Rs 2,210 crore by DSIIDC to repair empty apartments and finish those that are still under construction.

The Delhi government's effort to identify beneficiaries who qualified for affordable housing under the programme was criticised by the CAG as well. Only 1,864 of the 5,483 beneficiaries who could be identified by the government, it was claimed, had their housing units renovated as of August 2018.

“Due to the delay in identifying beneficiaries, more than 90% of the 28,344 dwelling units completed till June 2018 at a cost of Rs 1,101.4 crore were lying unallotted, unoccupied and vulnerable to deterioration. The objectives of the scheme remained unfulfilled even after 10 years of its launch and one year of its closure. This was mainly due to deficiency in planning and execution of projects and poor progress in identification of beneficiaries,” CAG stated.

The Comptroller and Auditor General report on Social, General and Economic Sectors (Non-Public Sector Undertakings) of Union Territory of Delhi for the year ended March 2018 noted that the Delhi government's plan to provide affordable housing to the city's poor and rehabilitate those living in slum clusters failed due to a lack of planning from the conceptual stage itself. One element of the CAG's performance audit of various Delhi government departments was the evaluation of affordable housing projects for urban poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The audit showed that despite 461 of the 675 targeted JJ clusters, which were to receive in situ rehabilitation, being in the remaining seven districts, all 14 housing projects conceptualised by Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) were restricted to only four districts. “Also, instead of small clusters evenly spread all over Delhi, housing projects with a large number of dwelling units were planned,” the report stated. For economically disadvantaged sections, DSIIDC and DUSIB completed 14 housing projects totaling 52,344 apartments, but four of them, totaling more than 24,000 homes, were still unfinished more than a year after the scheme's closure. “It resulted in expenditure of Rs 755.3 crore remaining infructuous,” stated the report. The Delhi government has been asked for Rs 2,210 crore by DSIIDC to repair empty apartments and finish those that are still under construction. The Delhi government's effort to identify beneficiaries who qualified for affordable housing under the programme was criticised by the CAG as well. Only 1,864 of the 5,483 beneficiaries who could be identified by the government, it was claimed, had their housing units renovated as of August 2018. “Due to the delay in identifying beneficiaries, more than 90% of the 28,344 dwelling units completed till June 2018 at a cost of Rs 1,101.4 crore were lying unallotted, unoccupied and vulnerable to deterioration. The objectives of the scheme remained unfulfilled even after 10 years of its launch and one year of its closure. This was mainly due to deficiency in planning and execution of projects and poor progress in identification of beneficiaries,” CAG stated.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Aadhaar Authentications Cross 27 Billion in FY25

Aadhaar authentication transactions surged past 27.07 billion in FY 2024–25, including 2.47 billion in March alone, reflecting its growing adoption across sectors such as banking, finance, telecom, and public service delivery. Since its inception, the cumulative number of Aadhaar authentication transactions has exceeded 148 billion.The Unique Identification Authority of India’s (UIDAI) AI/ML-based face authentication technology is also witnessing a sharp rise in usage. In March 2025 alone, over 150 million face authentication transactions were recorded. This biometric modality is now used ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

IEPFA Holds Preparatory Meet for 'Niveshak Shivir' Initiative

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, hosted a preparatory meeting on April 28, 2025, with Nodal Officers from stakeholder companies via video conference. The session, chaired by IEPFA CEO Smt. Anita Shah Akella, focused on finalising operational plans for the upcoming ""Niveshak Shivir"" initiative—a joint effort between IEPFA and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).""Niveshak Shivir"" aims to improve investor services and streamline the claims process by reaching out to cities with a high nu..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India, France Sign Deal for 26 Rafale-Marine Jets for Navy

India and France have signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the acquisition of 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft for the Indian Navy, comprising 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets. The deal also includes training systems, simulators, associated equipment, weapons, and performance-based logistics, along with additional equipment for the Indian Air Force’s existing Rafale fleet.The IGA was signed by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu. The agreement, along with supply protocols for aircraft and weapons, was exchanged in the..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?