Punjab Cabinet approves Affordable Housing Policy

In order to enable affordable housing for lower income groups (LIG), the Punjab Government has cleared the way for the notification of the Affordable Colony policy, 2018. This is also to keep a check on the increase in a number of unauthorised colonies. As reported, the Cabinet has approved the new policy which aims at providing higher density and floor area ratio (FAR) to the promoters who were anxious to develop an affordable colony. The Affordable Colony Policy has suggested rebate in rate concerning to license fee, change of land use and external development charges to regularise building of the topmost possible number of flats over an acre of land. Plot sizes in such colonies will reportedly be maximum up to 125 sq yards and their average size shall not exceed 100 sq yard. As reported, it is found that about on 40,000 acre there are approximately 8,000 unauthorised colonies which have come up without permission from the authority.