800 houses secure for lower income group this year: Mhada lottery

By Realty Quarter Bureau

This year, MHADA’s lottery will reserve more than threefourths of houses for economically weaker sections (EWS) and low income groups (LIG).

The move comes the housing body received a lot of flak for reserving just eight homes for EWS groups last year. Though the date for this year’s lottery has not been finalised, MHADA has revealed that it will be selling 1,001 houses through lottery this year. Of this, 283 apartments will be reserved for EWS and 500 houses for LIG.

Last year, MHADA sold 819 houses – 8 for EWS, 192 for LIG and 281 for middle income groups – through lottery. The move, which enraged activists, was slammed as being against the spirit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stated aim of housing for all by 2022. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too had earlier announced his intention of building three lakh affordable homes in Mumbai Metropolitan Region by 2020.

According to MHADA’s own norms, 60% of homes advertised through any lottery should be reserved for EWS and LIG. As per MHADA’s classification, EWS refers to those earning less than Rs 25,000/month; people in LIG classification earn between Rs 25,001 and Rs 50000; MIGS earn between Rs 50,001 and Rs 75,000; and high income group members earn above Rs 75,000/month.