Carpet area raised to make affordable housing more accessible
New Delhi, June 12: In a major boost to affordable housing, the government on Tuesday said it has raised the carpet area of houses eligible for subsidy under Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) by 33 per cent for the Middle-Income Group (MIG) segment.
"These enhancements will now enable more MIG customers to qualify for subsidy and avail the benefits provided under the ambitious flagship mission of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)," the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said in a statement.
The carpet area has been raised from "up to 120 square metre" to "up to 160 square metre" for MIG I, which comprise families with household income between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. For MIG II families, with annual income between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 18 lakh, it has been raised from "up to 150 square metre" to "up to 200 square metre".
For MIG I, the interest subsidy is four per cent, eligible housing loan amount is Rs 9 lakh and the upfront amount for subsidy is Rs 2,35,068. For MIG II, the interest subsidy is three per cent, eligible loan amount is Rs 12 lakh and the upfront amount for subsidy is Rs 2,30,156.
"This augurs well with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policy to revise the housing loan limits for Priority Sector lending (PSL) eligibility," it said.
The RBI has decided to revise the housing loan limits for PSL eligibility from existing Rs 28 lakh to Rs 35 lakh in metropolitan centres, and from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in other centres, provided the overall cost of the dwelling unit in metro and at other centres does not exceed Rs 45 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, respectively.
The MIG segment is an aspirational class which is upwardly mobile and the intent of the CLSS for MIG is to support the dream of every family of owning a house, the ministry said. The decision to increase the carpet area was done after inputs from various stakeholders.
One key issue was denial of CLSS benefit to potential beneficiaries as they were buying flats or constructing houses, where the carpet area exceeded the cap of either 120 square metre or 150 square metre, thus rendering them ineligible for the interest subsidy under MIG.
"The increased construction activity in housing sector has a cascading effect on core sectors like cement, steel, machinery and other allied sectors. More construction activity in the urban areas would result in creation of more jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers," it said.
The CLSS for MIG scheme has gained momentum in the last couple of quarters and the offtake has picked up significantly. As on June 11, 2018, an amount of Rs 736.79 crore has been disbursed to 35,204 beneficiaries belonging to the MIG category, said the ministry.
The number of CLSS beneficiaries for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Group (LIG) is 133,213 and subsidy released for this segment is Rs 2,890.50 crore.
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Karnataka govt to strictly implement the paid menstrual leave policy, after HC directive
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has said that the government will strictly implement the paid menstrual leave policy across all sectors at the earliest, following the High Court directive.
The High Court of Karnataka had recently directed the state government to "strictly and faithfully" implement the menstrual leave policy, pending formal enactment of the proposed legislation.
"I welcome the directive issued by the Karnataka High Court in support of our state government's ambitious menstrual leave policy," Lad said.
The state government has taken firm steps to implement the menstrual leave policy comprehensively, and as a model to the country, he said in a post on 'X' on Thursday.
"In line with the court's opinion that menstrual leave is a matter of women's dignity, justice, and humane recognition of their lived realities, we will strictly implement the paid menstrual leave policy--equivalent to one day per month, or 12 days per year--across all sectors at the earliest," he added.
The court had said that in the interregnum, it shall be incumbent upon the state to ensure effective operationalisation of the policy through the issuance of suitable guidelines, circulars, and administrative instructions, as may be necessary to secure its uniform, consistent, and rigorous implementation across all sectors.
The court issued the directive while hearing on a petition filed by 41-year-old Chandravva Hanumant Gokavi, who works in a hotel in Mudalgi of Gokak taluk in Belagavi district, before the Dharwad bench, seeking implementation of the November 20, 2025, order of the government providing one-day menstrual leave for all working women.
