What are the challenges and bottlenecks for affordable housing?

Yes, rapid urbanisation is the great challenge which makes very affordable houses quite unaffordable. If we think that solvinging mass urban housing problems we can address the challenge, I am disaggreeing. In fact rapid urbanisation is the problem but its root is at ignorance of rural housing & livelyhood. There is a mad rush to urban centre as much of ammenities are only available in urban centres. Thus this challenge can be addressed if we can address the rural housing sector, improve the basic amenities in rural areas. A house costs around Rs 400/- per sqft in rural area & around Rs 750/- per sqft in metros. The rates ranging from 1400-2500 per sqft is due to demand in urban centre & thus makes unaffordable for poor class, lower middle class & even middle class people. Again despite chef construction & land cost in rural areas, people are least interested because of lack of facilities. In a solution to this some intelligent people prefer house near suburban centres or satelite villages near a city where they afford a house & benifited from urban amenities as well. However the real challenge is development in rural sector. India particularly need to improve the rural sector otherwise urban centres would be victim of population blast.

The main hick up is the cost of land.It makes the cost of house  too high not the construction costs. Govenment has enormous quantity of land in cities and even in townships. It has also some own organisations to construct and sell.whenever the govt; entering in the commercial field it also act like a commercial concern. I hope 30% of people have enough money to buy or invest more than one plots and  they have residentials plots all over India , even they don`t know where it is.Their main aim is investing and they are waiting for a hihger return . they sell to themselveseach other  and the vacant land is simply circling with them to raise the cost of land. The rest who are in 70% in population have income for their bread only. they may dwell in a nest , they have dreams , they have to work in the urban areas only, they cann`t travel a long due to shortage of travelling expenses.But there are waste lands with small boundary stones in four corners waiting for a valuble purchaser for a long time.

for comfortable living for three persons 1000 Sqft; is enough , but now a days to show our luxary  a minimum of 2500 sq ft built up area is required for these 30% people.

Luxary luxary luxary. We have forgotten that we are Indians. We are acting like British. But whether you are accept or not you will be an Indian ever , even you lived in America.There is a proverb when you are in Spain , Be like a Spnish. But our people and government misundrstood the proverb, When You are In India Live like a British national.

whether we know The Infosys Chirman living in an Apartment.

Former primeministers  Mr. Morarji desai and Mr. Vaj bai also lived in apartments only. Acres of housing plots , vanished agricultural land. soon we have to import rice , wheat for food. and vacant lands will wait for sale the  house rent will be more than the EMI of housing loan, even though the housing finance institution won`t afford loans because the 70% have no security no required income certificate, they are not working in a recognised organisation.

A house is not simply a concrete structure. It is a dream and its also a living thing and sometimes it shares our sorrows and happlness as such like our family member.When we are recollecting our past(sed)days its the only thing which partners without any intervention.We cannot estimste the value by percentage or per capita demand. It strue to build the house wher you can LIVE. But nowa days we are buying a structure compromisingly to lodging without any monthly rent. Why. We feel cities are heaven , So there is alot of rush in heaven. so you are dwelling in a hell. Your living style are measured by foot and the demand. so the affordability.... Who has to afford you. You have todetermine that . earnig in city may be easy. But dwelling in your nativity brings you peace. It will never give you blood pressure, or heart attack. Its your soil its your air (non polluted). But we get rid of that idiotic , sentiment  hell. We are in heaven chasing the  time with cough discs allergetic preventions. The so called swine flu from city only most hygenic countries findings are a numerous diseases. But your native never brought such things to you. But your  siblings have to live with mineral water and anti biotics only..cities  spoilt the total environment  and our rural areas suffers because of us. Afford your house yourself where you can LIVE. . for dwelling periodically you can manage yourself..

I fully agree with Anjali

MONTHLY EXPENDITURE ON HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 20%. MAJOR TIME USED IN THE HOUSE IS FOR SLEEPING AND COST OF SLEEPING IS TO BE LIMITED TO 20 %.BENCH MARKING FOR LIFE STYLE TO BE FIXED FOR INDIAN SCINERIO.HOUSING TO BE DONE TO SUIT THE STANDARDS.GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE SLEEPING SPACE WITH HIGH SECURITY AND MINIMUM INCONVENIENCE WITH MUSQUITO, SOUND POLLUSION, ETC. LET THE PEOPLE THINK MORE ON APPLICATION OF MONEY FOR MORE MONEY FOR SUSTAINABLE CONDUCIVE LIVING ENVIRONMENT.

INDIAN A MIXED MASALA HAS NO RIGIDITY IN LIFE STYLE . THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT APNA APNA IS THE MAIN DRAW BACK OF OUR  LIFE STYLE PERCEPTION.THE CHANCE OF CREATING  MAN ( BT TYPE BRINJAL)  BY US SPONCERED DEVELOPMENT IS  THE AVATHER . THIS WILL CREATE BENCH MARKING  IN LNDIAN LIFE STYLE.. THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION

While considering affordability of housing, mainly 2 major points are to be considered : 1) Sapce usefulness in terms of finacial investment 2) Finacial position of the invester.  Since land prices, construction cost etc. are all controlled by market forces, intervention from any quarters will not be of any help  to control them.  We feel that, now-a-days people are cosntructing houses beyond their means, which appear to be unhealthy trend and needs to be corrected by means of creating awareness on this issue through press/ media etc. to save many  who are ending up in huge debts in their life time.  In short, house construction should not be 'status symbol', rather it should be based on 'usefulness' to the owner.

True and practical. But my half democrat-half socialist approach puts a slightly diff. perview of the situation. I love my freedom, the ability to say, do (in my limits though) whatever that I may want, so wld never want to give that up - love the bud of entrepreneurship - after all this is what awakens the LEADER in us, but I also believe that a system or GOVT. shld rather only be a GOVT., the only tool of power with unbiased foundation to actually do and move things, be it housing or infrastructure or anything. PPP in housing, or any field otherwise are more spoilt for 'No choice' situation. What I wld really like to think is "how to make my Govt. powerful" instead of offering 'myself, as in PPP' the only solution forward. I wld realy like all projects to come under state's responsibility, and not merely on papers, instead of the private builders, who are but only showcasing their interests in high living-high spending. How else can sustainability be achieved? When every person/company's individual interests are zeroed down to one - Country's interest.   

Bhavana