Housing Must Be At The Centre of Development, Says Rajan Samuel Of Habitat for Humanity India

We often take for granted the basic necessity of life — shelter. Every day, more and more families find themselves in a struggle to have a roof over their heads. Caught in punishing cycles of unpredictable rent increases, overcrowded conditions, lack of access to land and affordable financing, these families live with a constant burden of uncertainty, unhealthy living conditions, the threat of eviction, stress and fear. A report submitted by a technical committee to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) states, India's urban housing shortage is estimated at nearly 18.78 million households. This current housing deficit is slated to double to 38 million units by 2030. According to a report (2014) by KPMG, one crore annual urban population growth is expected by 2050 and 11 crore houses will likely be required by 2022.

Also read: Is Housing For All Target Achievable?

The United Nations celebrates the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our cities and on the fundamental right of all to adequate shelter. Driven by the theme 'Housing Policies: Affordable Homes; the World Habitat Day, on 2nd October this year, was celebrated with an aim to empower families in need through shelter.

In view of the pressing need, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) on November 20, 2016 to realise the vision of ensuring 'Housing for All' by the year 2022. Since then, 33.07 lakh beneficiaries have been sanctioned under PMAY-Grameen. Targets were enhanced by 33 per cent from 33 lakh to 44 lakh houses in January 2017 to fast-track the implementation of the programme. The fact that more than 15,500 houses have been completed by May 2017, reflects the extent to which states have been able to expedite the construction through robust monitoring and facilitation of beneficiaries.

Looking ahead, India has set its sights on achieving housing for all by 2022, the same year that it is forecast to be the world's most populous country. We can continue to tackle the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals by fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goal 11 — make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Housing has become the defining economic issue of our times. In addition to being a fundamental need of an individual, housing is an economic engine for the low-income families as it plays a vital role in the growth and development of the family, the community and the country. Take the case of Lipi Ansari, a resident of the capital city, Delhi. She is the proud owner of a small home-run tailoring business in the house that she built with the help of Habitat for Humanity India. Ridden with debt, Mannabi Shaikh's (Osmanabad, Maharashtra) husband committed suicide. This tragedy left her to fend for her daughter and two sons all by herself. Living in a dilapidated home she worked as a labourer and struggled to make ends meet. Today she finds peace in her new Habitat home. In Hyderabad, a home that is not only safe for her three daughters but no longer leaking kept the smile on Lakshmi's face. “My daughter says she wants to build homes for people in need of affordable housing when she grows up,” said Lakshmi.

Ansari, Shaikh and Lakshmi are no longer among the 19 million families — based on India's current housing deficit — who are in need of affordable housing. For many low-income families a house is more than just a shelter. Their home has turned into a valuable asset. It has given them the opportunity to work out of the comfort of their space and change their lives for the better. Stable, affordable housing is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. A decent home opens the door to improved health, better performance in school, greater economic opportunities and increased community cohesion.

Imagine what India would look in 2022 when everyone has a decent place to live. Failure to reach that goal would be tragic. Because the reality is that if children don't live in decent homes with proper sanitation, the odds of their staying healthy plummet. If they are not healthy, they don't get educated; and if they don't get an education, they don't get decent jobs, meaning they won't be able to care for their families or break out of the stranglehold of poverty. Solving the housing crisis is the only way to end poverty worldwide. And in order to achieve that, housing has to be at the centre of sustainable development.