Kerala witnessed some early signs of change in 2016. Some welcome changes, some fraught with repercussions. Society will be watching if these signals become a trend in days ahead. It can be a boon or bane depending on how state tackles them.
One of the biggest challenges confronting the state is providing shelter for 4.7 lakh homeless families. The majority of these families are landless, which makes the problem complicated. Many of them belong to the low income group that does not have a single paisa surplus. They don’t have resources to build or complete houses even if the government were to subsidize them. Laurie Baker used to call the homeless category as “non-income group.” Apart from homeless families, many inhabit incomplete houses. A survey showed that of the 56,000 houses sanctioned in block panchayats, the construction of only 10 per cent had been completed. Even if such families are provided Rs 3 lakh each, they struggle to raise funds to finish the construction.
While travelling in the state one comes across concrete skeletal structures with only walls and roofs. These are unfinished houses. People sell or pledge auto rickshaws to complete their houses but end up losing livelihood means. The new government has shown a positive approach. It understands that if houses are not completed on priority and time-bound, inhabitants might end up becoming homeless soon. One of the ground-breaking initiatives announced by the government is Life Mission to provide houses to the homeless along with social security schemes. The plan is to build housing complexes comprising facilities like skill training centers, common study rooms for students, meeting halls, crèches, gymnasiums and palliative care units to take care of the elderly. Power supply, water supply, sanitation facilities, cooking fuel and other amenities would also be taken care of.
Each complex built under the Project LIFE housing scheme would offer flats to about 100 families. Under the housing scheme, priority would be given to families run by women, single women, households which have ill or old people, girl students below 15 years, and victims of riots, natural calamities and domestic violence. The project is based on Laurie Baker’s philosophy of applying low-cost, simple, innovative and practical construction for bigger projects. When buildings are placed in a staggered manner it provides interactive spaces and improves neighbourly relations.
Buildings with maximum of four storeys can be constructed on one-acre plot, providing 100 houses. We are against the concept of vertical growth especially for the urban poor. Having 100 houses in a single flat means high concentration and density; it will be a tragic place to live. Up to four floors you can walk but beyond that people will require lift. There can be one-time investment on constructing lift but expense needed for regular maintenance and power supply will be a serious problem. Hence it would be ideal to have four storey buildings. The ownership of these houses will be with the corporation secretary. Beneficiary contribution will be Rs 30,000 and loan-linked programmes will be available for regular repayment. Beneficiaries will be able to own the house after seven years.
Kerala started community housing programme aimed at the weaker sections way back in 1970 under the “Laksham Veedu” scheme.
More than 70,000 houses were completed then. But it is a harsh reality that more than 90 per cent families living in Laksham Veedu colonies could not improve their living ambience. Many families escaped from these colonies as their children after getting good education could move ahead in life. The next generation moved to new accommodation. The construction cost of a 300 sq feet house comes to Rs 3.5 lakh if local materials are used and for 600 sq ft about Rs 6 lakh. The 300-sqft house comprising a small sit-out, small bedroom, multi-purpose room, kitchen and toilet, can accommodate a five-member family. The target should be to complete the houses which are without roofs. If this is not taken on priority, many families would become homeless again.
There is an urgent need for panchayts to launch an extensive drive to finish unfinished houses even if it meant giving additional subsidy. The government should also explore the possibility of having a grassroots-level organization in block panchayats and gram panchayats, which can train multipurpose technician groups and groups of masons, who can carry out the task of completing the buildings and constructing new ones. The government, planners and housing experts will have to put their heads together t+o effectively implement the Life Mission and other housing schemes. Mere blueprints do not take us far.
‘Charge double tax’
According to 2011 census, there are 10 lakh houses extra in the state. We feel those who own more than two or three houses are not being charged environmental and social cost. Both the rich and the poor pay same amount for materials like a truck load of sand. We want the government to rework the tax regime. For one house you can go with the regular tax, but if one owns two or three houses let him pay double or treble amount. This way the government which has to provide 4.7 lakh homes for the homeless, can mobilize funds.
75 lakh residential units
Kerala has approximately 75 lakh residential units. The projected demand for the new population up to the end of the 12th plan period is 6.5 lakh. Apart from this there is a need for reconstruction of 5.5 lakh units of dilapidated houses. The total number of households in Kerala as per Census 2011 is 78.53 lakh and average household size is 4.3 persons. The number of landless and homeless is less than 2 lakh.
History of public housing
The history of the public housing dates back to 1950s with the village housing scheme implemented with the support of the Community Development Programme sponsored by the Centre. It was followed by the pioneering M N (Govindan Nair) One Lakh Housing scheme launched in 1972, which was a success.
Innovative Housing Scheme
Flats on rental basis to the poor migrant workers in urban areas: 100 flats have been constructed and the construction of 112 flats is in progress at various urban centres like Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kozhikode.
Pucca houses
According to National Sample Survey report 2012, 85.4 percent of households in rural Kerala lived in pucca houses against the all-India level of 65.8 percent. About 90.8 percent of urban households in Kerala lived in pucca houses and the national average was higher at 93.6 percent. Houses with good ventilation in rural areas of Kerala are 505 per 1,000 units, whereas for the country it is 263 per 1,000. This points out that in the matter of housing stock Kerala is far better than the national average.
Houses for all in 5 years
All families which do not have a roof over their heads will be given houses within five years. One member of each family residing there will be given job-oriented training for employment. There will be provision for preprimary upward education facilities, special coaching for weak students, English language learning, IT education, skill development and special counselling for youth under the Mission.
P B Sajan (The author is director COSTFORD)
As told to Gilvester Assary
Lecturer completes 65 houses
About 12 years ago I came across an M Sc student of Catholicate College Pathanamthitta, abandoned by parents and living in a shed on puramboke along with her aunt. She lived in subhuman conditions and I feared for her security. We raised money with the help of National Service Scheme and the panchayat president provided three cents. Soon the student moved into a small safe house.
Then there was an elderly woman in Kodumon, who lived in a shack of clothes, plastic and rags. Kurambe, a cancer patient, was leading a miserable life in that shanty, struggling to recover from throat surgery. Philanthropist Prasad George, an American Malayali, sought details of the woman. He contributed Rs 60,000 and we pitched in with Rs 5,000 to construct a house with asbestos sheet roof. Soon Kurumbe moved into her new abode. We have constructed 65 houses in all.
There has been an escalation in prices of building materials, raising construction costs. Instead of Rs 1 lakh, now we spend close to Rs 2 lakh on each house depending on donations from well-wishers. Each house with an area of 500 to 550 sq ft comprises two rooms, sit-out, kitchen and attached bathroom, sink, tiles in kitchen and smokeless chulah. The key handover ceremony of the 65th house took place the other day. This house was constructed for a woman, who was living with three sons in a shack in a rocky area in Mannadi in Pathanamthitta. She is not only battling tuberculosis, her sons suffer from physical and mental disabilities.
There was a report about this family in local media. We constructed a house for them. Help is rendered only to those people, who are totally dependent, incapable of seeking help from government or any other agency. Nobody comes to us directly to seek help. In fact we get information from different sources and venture out to help. Low budget houses, which would generally cost Rs 4 lakh, are constructed at Rs 2 lakh a unit by cutting expenses in all possible ways and at all levels. I supervise the work along with my driver-cum-aide Jayalal. We make it a point to visit the construction sites daily. All houses are sponsored. In case if there is shortage, we pay the additional fund. If we receive contribution of Rs 3 lakh then we decide to go for two houses.
Now, two houses are under construction and three more are in the works. Normally we complete the construction work within a month and the house that was built in shortest possible time was in 22 days. This was for a woman whose husband died of snake bite. She lived in a dilapidated building along with her son. There are many poor families living in utterly miserable conditions. Our objective is to reach out to these sections. We lend a helping hand to people irrespective of their caste and religion.
We give priority to those who are not staying in rented houses, women and children, patients, widows with children and orphans. If the families have able-bodied men or men who are alcoholic, then we don’t provide any assistance. Despite my professional responsibilities as a guest lecturer at a Government Arts and Science College, I spend time in visiting families in need. Whenever I get the information, I visit the place to ensure that we are not taken for a ride. Projects are taken only after ascertaining the authenticity of the people. Had it not been for the unflinching support of my husband, who is a businessman, it would have been difficult to make a difference to lives of the most deprived sections of our society.
Dr M S Sunil (The author is a social worker)
As told to Gilvester Assary
