Chandigarh best in country in implementation of affordable rental housing scheme


The Chandigarh administration on Wednesday received an award for being the best performing state/UT in implementation of affordable rental housing scheme.

UT adviser Dharam Pal received the award from the Union minister of urban development, during the India Urban Conclave at Rajkot, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) had implemented the affordable rental housing complexes (ARHCs) scheme of the Ministry of housing and urban affairs, Government of India.

Under the ARHC scheme, the CHB rented out small flats to migrant labourers and urban poor. The scheme was launched after the country witnessed reverse migration due to the pandemic. The aim was to provide ease of living and planned housing at affordable rent to migrant labourers and urban poor, who otherwise stayed in slums, informal settlements or unauthorised colonies.

The scheme was implemented by utilising existing vacant government houses through public-private partnership or by construction, operation and maintenance by public/private entities on their own vacant land.

The complexes are a mix of single- and double-bedroom dwelling units and dormitories of four to six beds constituting all common facilities that will be exclusively used for rental housing.