Reforms in housing sector in India: impact on housing development and housing amenities

The housing sector in India for several decades faced a number of set-backs, such as an unorganized market, development disparities, a compartmentalized development approach and a deterrent rent control system. There was not even a concerted attempt to understand the housing problem let alone promote it. Reforms introduced in the sector during the 1990s, however, have overturned the situation to a great extent. The designing of a shelter policy, the organization of the housing finance market, the introduction of fiscal incentives, increased public investment, legal reforms and others initiatives have brought about a number of changes in the housing sector. Interestingly, these changes have been concerned with both reducing the housing shortage and increasing the number of quality housing stock besides increased access to various other housing amenities like safe drinking water, good sanitation and household electricity. However, the reform initiatives of the housing sector need to take deep roots and to go a long way to address the growing incidence of sub-standard and dilapidated housing stock for further minimizing the deprivations of housing amenities. This paper considers a few policy options towards addressing the challenges of the housing sector.