Punjab Government to provide 25,000 EWS houses in phased manner

According to Housing and Urban Development Minister Aman Arora, the Punjab government will build 25,000 homes in phases for people from economically weaker parts (EWS).

In response to a question in the state assembly, the minister stated that nearly 15,000 housing units will be built in the first phase of the Punjab EWS housing policy.

The locations for these units have been identified and the tendering process will begin soon, he said.

Arora claimed that as a result of the negligence of previous governments, more than 14,000 unauthorized colonies were shot in the state and EWS housing was ignored.

"Now the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is concerned about providing a roof to the economically weaker parts and there have been notices issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to promoters who have not transferred ownership of the land reserved for EWS housing according to policy," he said.

Arora stated that no flats were allocated to people from the EWS category in housing projects built in the state between 2000 and 2022.

Between 2000 and 2022, the housing department issued permits for 615 colonies and 58 megaprojects, including 36 mega housing projects, 19 industrial megaprojects, and three super megahomes or industrial projects, have been approved since 2003. In these colonies and projects, a total of 472.68 hectares of land has been reserved for people from the EWS category, with the state taking possession of 300 hectares.

In response to a question during Question Time, Minister of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Baljit Kaur stated that Dr. B R Ambedkar Bhavan will be built in Barnala.

Barnala MLAs had demanded that the bhavan be built in their district.