Rural Housing in India
“Rural Housing in India: Challenges and Opportunity” is report generated by Holcim and NCAER (National Council of Applied Economic Research). The report states that in 17 years rural housing stock is expected to rise by 42-44 million i.e., during the period of 2008-2005.
In this report it draws attention to the need for continued expansion of rural housing. The estimate relates to total housing stock and distinction between Kucha and more durable construction is made. For the improving the quality of housing, there need changes in space, design, number of rooms and amenities in the house. Theses changes may also continue in the up gradation of house. Pressure on building material supplies would be significant if conversion house is faster than projected i.e., conversion of housing stock into pucca.
Demand for rural housing in the next two decades will continue and expected to strengthen more. The challenge to find enabling factors such as land, finance and infrastructure services to meet the demands opens a way or opportunity for public policy and private enterprises.
The challenge to find enabling factors such as land, finance and infrastructure services to meet the demands opens a way or opportunity for public policy and private enterprises.
The study based on primary data collected from a sample of rural household spread over different states and the housing data collected during various decennial censuses and NSSOs, there is exactly same rise in housing stock during last 17 years for the period of 1991 to 2008.
Suman Bery, Director General, NCAER, comments that the transformation of the rural housing scenario is still a challenge in India. When comparing rural housing with urban housing, the concept is not well understood. It distinct from urban housing in terms of cost associated with construction. The regional dimension is far more significant in the context of rural housing than for urban housing. “Most importantly, the focus in the policy discussion so far has been on housing for the poor which is an important area. There is also the large non-poor population which requires housing and efficient cost-effective supply of materials, technology and finance”.
The report called for the promotion of rural housing. This, the analysis found, generates considerable employment, and hence income of rural households contributing to better health and productivity of the rural labour force. The report found continued poor quality of the rural housing stock in the country. However, considerable improvements have been made over the period. While there has been continuous growth in the rural housing stock, its pace has been lower than urban housing stock.
The survey also attempted to assess the status of physical infrastructure and housing environment. Almost 50 per cent of households reported having closed drainage systems, with hardly any inter-quintile variation. About 30 per cent of sample households perceived their environment as clean, with the remaining either average or dirty. Those who termed it dirty belonged mainly to the bottom two quintiles. A little over half the household are reported to be connected to pucca/paved roads. Around 10 per cent are without any approach road. The remaining households were connected by some kind of kutcha road.
The promotion of rural housing generates considerable employment, and hence income of rural households, while also contributing to better health and productivity of the rural labour force
The rural areas in India are characterized by small and highly dispersed habitations. They also have a rather poor village or community-level infrastructure. The principal occupation of most rural households is agriculture (or its related activities). Hence, the space requirements of these households, apart from for residential uses, are for livestock and safe storage of grains and agricultural implements. However, there has been some increase in non-agricultural employment.
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Rural Housing in India