MoAs for Light House Projects Under GHTC-India Exchanged between MoHUA and State Govts #LightHouses #Sukumarbalakrishnan

Shri Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the CLSS Awas Portal (CLAP). Separately, Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) for Light House Projects under GHTC-India were also exchanged between MoHUA and State Government of 6 states viz; Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh at the event. Sh. Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, senior Officers of the Ministry and State Governments, Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of several Banks and Housing Finance Companies were also present.

Speaking at the occasion, Sh. Puri congratulated the team of experts for such exemplary work in last few months on developing the IT based CLSS Awas Portal (CLAP), particularly to the collective effort put in by the Ministry, Central Nodal Agencies (CNAs) and Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs).He expressed that with the launch of CLAP, the grievance of the beneficiaries will be addressed in a much comprehensive, organised and transparent manner. He further highlighted that this software will help other stakeholders to work in synergy for release of subsidy to beneficiaries on time.

For addressing the housing demand of more than 10 million houses by 2022, Government of India launched Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban, in June 2015. To accomplish Housing For All Mission, Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) was launched to get globally acclaimed, alternate and proven construction technologies for speedier and cost-effective construction of affordable housing. The Prime Minister declared 2019-2020 as 'Construction Technology Year'.

Shri Puri expressed his appreciation to the State Governments for construction of these Light House Projects at Indore, Rajkot, Chennai, Ranchi, Agartala and Lucknow. For LHPs, the Ministry has introduced a Technology Innovation Grant as an additional grant of Rs 2.0 lakh (US$ 2861.63) per house which is over and above of the existing share of Rs 1.5 lakh (US$ 2146.22) per house under PMAY (U).

Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, MoHUA shared that the Ministry has developed a web based real time monitoring system called CLAP in which all stakeholders such as MoHUA, CNAs, PLIs and Beneficiaries are integrated. Shri Mishra explained the importance of CLAP portal, as a well-designed concept in using IT based platform to bring transparency and efficiency in release of subsidy to the beneficiaries under CLSS. This Portal will enable processing of individual application, verification at initial stage, release of subsidy, transparency and minimizing grievances.

Speaking about the GHTC and signing of MoAs for LHPs, Shri Mishra highlighted that these LHPs are model housing projects to demonstrate and deliver ready to live-in houses expeditiously than the normal convention construction which are cost-effective, economical, sustainable, climate resilient and superior with better quality of construction.