DPIIT signs MoU with fuel-tech company to support startups (See 'Corp Brief') National Council for Cement signs MoU to strengthen skill development (See 'Corp Brief') India preparing for global role in shift towards 'greener' future: MoS (See 'Corp Brief') Oriental Insurance crosses Rs 20,000 crore in Gross Premium (See 'Corp Brief') 10,000 contributors onboarded on Bhashini Samudaye (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Interim arrangement directing parties to maintain status quo, thereby preventing any alteration to nature of principal asset or creation of further third-party interests, should be continued until final disposal by NCLT: SC (See 'Legal Desk') NHB launches Gruh Sugam Portal focusing on Defence, Paramilitary & Govt Personnel (See 'Corp Brief') Railway Minister reviews Progress of Kavach Implementation (See 'Corp Brief') Misc - Non-public servant can be proceeded against when initial case is registered u/s 13 of PC Act by virtue of Section 107 of IPC: SC (See 'Legal Desk') DoWR Secy chairs Regional Conference of State Water Secretaries in Telangana (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Failure to exercise option of higher bid within prescribed timeline results in valid conclusion of auction in favour of highest bidder: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') CCI nod for addl stake of Valuedrive Technologies by Setu AIF Trust, Konark Trust, and MMPL Trust (See 'Corp Brief') CCI approves stake of Groww Asset Management by State Street Global Advisors (See 'Corp Brief') CCI approves acquisition of equity in Shriram Finance by MUFG Bank (See 'Corp Brief') CCI approves merger of Chess Merger Sub with and into Udemy Inc. (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Non-inclusion of claim in resolution plan results in its extinguishment, and any claim which is not expressly included in resolution plan, and which is not expressly barred as per such plan, cannot be inferred: SC (See 'Legal Desk') CCI okays subscription of equity of Aditya Birla Renewables by GIP EM Star (See 'Corp Brief') Reddy calls for Accelerated Exploration of Critical Minerals at NMEDT Governing Body Meeting (See 'Corp Brief') National Centre to promote organic and natural farming (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Recourse to LOC can be taken by investigating agency in cognizable offences if accused is deliberately evading arrest or not appearing in trial court despite Non-Bailable Warrants: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Bharat 6G Alliance expands six-fold, emerging as key driver of 6G ambitions (See 'Corp Brief') Semicon India Programme boosts domestic Chip Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (See 'Corp Brief') TRAI undertakes assessment of quality of service by conducting drive test (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Once strong prima facie case of copyright infringement is established, interim injunction to protect copyright must typically follow: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CSR Conclave: 'Empowering Tribals through CSR' (See 'Corp Brief') CSIR & MEA jointly host Ambassadors from Global South (See 'Corp Brief') Nadda reaffirms India's Commitment to Eliminate TB Ahead of Global Targets (See 'Corp Brief') Ministry of Ayush and DBT announce collaborative Clinical Study on Ayurveda (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Issues of fraud or existence of debt must be decided by insolvency tribunal, not civil court: HC (See 'Legal Desk') RBI strengthens Framework on Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions (See 'Corp Brief') Govt expands DEH Initiative to Boost District-Level Export Competitiveness (See 'Corp Brief') DPIIT signs MoU with leading AC company to strengthen manufacturing ecosystem (See 'Corp Brief') Two-Day Eastern Region Review Meeting of CGCA concludes (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Minor variations in product that do not alter essential mode of operation of patented invention are considered mere engineering variations: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Paatil calls for 'Jan Bhagidari' to strengthen Water Conservation Efforts (See 'Corp Brief') IICA successfully concludes 4th Batch of Directors' Certification in Corporate Governance (See 'Corp Brief') Ministry of MSME assisting entrepreneurs in setting up of new micro enterprises (See 'Corp Brief') COFEPOSA - Dispute over rent or mesne profits for immovable property leased for commercial purposes is 'commercial dispute': HC (See 'Legal Desk') Amendments to Banking Regulation Act and MSCS Act, 2002 enhance oversight & accountability (See 'Corp Brief') MY Bharat mobilises Youth across 763 Districts for Shaheed Diwas Padyatra (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Even property acquired prior to commission of crime can be provisionally attached finding it falling in definition of 'proceeds of crime': SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') Ministry of Mines to launch 7th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals (See 'Corp Brief') Jal Mahotsav 2026 gives momentum to 'Jal Sanchay se Jan Bhagidari' (See 'Corp Brief') Ministry of Mines to organise National DMF Summit 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - High Court of Delhi lacked territorial jurisdiction to hear appeal filed against Appellant based in Kolkata; GST registration at Delhi, occasional hearings before Delhi Bench of NCLT do not establish that appellant ordinarily operates in Delhi: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Supreme Court Clears Path For Single Insolvency Proceedings Against Linked Group Companies (See CORP EINSICHT)

India, WB ink for TN low-income groups housing projects

Published: Jun 30, 2020

By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30, 2020: The Government of India, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the World Bank yesterday signed legal agreements to help low-income groups in the state of Tamil Nadu get access to affordable housing.

The legal agreements were signed for two projects - $200 million First Tamil Nadu Housing Sector Strengthening Programme and $50 million Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project - to strengthen the state's housing sector policies, institutions, and regulations.

The $200 million First Tamil Nadu Housing Sector Strengthening Programme supports the government's ongoing efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing by gradually shifting the role of the state from being the main provider to an enabler. It will also aim to unlock regulatory barriers and incentivise private sector participation in affordable housing for low-income families.

The loan agreements were signed by Mr Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank. Whereas, the project agreements were signed by Mr Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, Principal Resident Commissioner, on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu and Mr Junaid Kamal Ahmad on behalf of the World Bank.

Mr Khare said that providing safe and affordable housing is a key priority for the state of Tamil Nadu as identified in its vision document. He further said that w ith the allocation provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and the two projects from the World Bank, a large number of the urban poor in the state are expected to get access to better housing and, in the process, improve their living conditions.

Nearly half of Tamil Nadu's population is urban, and this is expected to increase to 63 percent by 2030. An estimated 6 million people are currently living in slums (representing 16.6 percent of the state's urban population).

Mr Ahmad said that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put urban households at an unprecedented risk of increased poverty, loss of human capital, assets and livelihoods. The impact will be most acute among the poor, particularly those living in overcrowded slums with limited access to basic services. The projects will support the state's vision of providing safe affordable housing with improved living conditions for the poor and vulnerable.

Concurrently, the Board also approved a $50 million Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project to support innovations in housing finance and strengthen housing sector institutions in the state. It will finance the newly created Tamil Nadu Shelter Fund (TNSF) - an innovation in housing finance in India - by providing an equity contribution of $35 million.

This initial support to TNSF will enable cross-subsidisation opportunities where higher returns from commercial and high-income developments will compensate for lower returns from affordable housing. This will make affordable housing commercially viable for potential investors. The project will also strengthen the capacity of key housing institutions including the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, the state's main provider of affordable housing; Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the land use planning authority for the Chennai Metropolitan Area; and Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation Limited, the asset management company of TNSF.

Yoonhee Kim, Senior Urban Economist, World Bank and Task Team Leader for the Housing Sector Strengthening Programme said that the global experience shows that the public sector alone cannot address a growing housing demand, especially as countries undergo rapid urbanization. The public sector can play an important role in providing regulatory and market incentives to make affordable housing more attractive for the private sector.

Abhijit Sankar Ray, Senior Urban Specialist, World Bank and Task Team Leader for the Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project added both projects will complement each other and strengthen key institutions to transform the housing sector in Tamil Nadu.

The loans of $200 million and $50 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) have a maturity of 20 years including a grace period of 3.5 years.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES