The Administrative Council (AC), which met here on Friday under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, accorded sanction to the proposal of Housing & Urban Development Department for adoption and notification of J&K Housing, Affordable Housing, Slum Redevelopment and Rehabilitation and Township Policy, 2020.

The policy envisages seven models of housing, ranging from in-situ slum redevelopment to integrated township, to cater to the need of every section of society.

The new policy aims at promoting public-private-partnerships for affordable housing and slum rehabilitation projects and provides platform for operation and maintenance of integrated/ special townships in a cooperative manner. It further proposes minimum relocation of existing slum dwellers so as to maintain sanctity of existing economic and social linkages developed over a period of time in these informal settlements.

Additionally, the policy also includes provisions for fast track approvals of housing in Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) categories. Besides, it provides for their incentivization in the form of exemptions from building permit fees, land-use conversion and external development charges.

The policy also aims to provide Rental Housing in which EWS families will be given dwelling units on license basis for occupation and use for a particular period on making initial deposit and monthly charges.

The policy has been approved under the broader vision of meeting the growing requirement for affordable housing, slum redevelopment, and rehabilitation and rental housing, for which an initial target has been set for construction of 1 Lakh dwelling units over the next 5 years.

In a significant decision, the Administrative Council gave its nod to the proposal of amending the Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and the J&K Development Act, 1970 to provide for special dispensation for carrying out construction activities in Strategic Areas.

The amendments proposed by Housing & Urban Development Department will pave way for notifying certain areas as �strategic areas� in terms of the requirement of armed forces and in such areas, the regulation of construction activity shall be through a special dispensation. The move is aimed at simplifying the procedures and shall facilitate the time-bound development of infrastructure of strategic importance.

The approval has been granted keeping in view the strategic importance of certain locations and reconciling their security needs with developmental aspirations.