Maharashtra government revises guidelines for houses built and allotted by MHADA

The government of Maharashtra has recently revised its guidelines for the permitted carpet area of apartments to be built and sold under the High-Income Group (HIG) and Middle-Income Group (MIG) categories through a lottery mechanism of the Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA), the state government’s nodal agency and statutory housing authority.

Under the new guidelines, the maximum carpet area for MIG category apartments has been reduced to 968 square feet from the earlier permitted space of 1,722 square feet. Meanwhile, for the HIG category, the carpet area has been increased from the limit of 2,152 square feet to any configurations above 968 square feet. This decision was taken by the government in order to make the housing schemes more affordable for the middle-class and to provide more opportunities for housing.

However, the government has also restricted the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and low-income group (LIG) from applying for HIG segment apartments. Previously, applicants from these categories were allowed to apply for apartments under any category. The reason behind this decision is to avoid the possibility of no sale of apartments, despite securing the allotment through a lottery, given their income levels and limited loan eligibility for a bigger apartment.

To address this issue, the government has decided to allow applicants from each category to apply either in their respective category or just one category higher than that. For instance, applicants from the EWS category can apply for apartments in the EWS and LIG segment, while LIG applicants can apply for apartments in their category and MIG. Similarly, prospective homebuyers in the MIG category can apply for MIG and HIG apartments. However, HIG homebuyers can only apply in their category, as stated in the Government Resolution (GR).

In regions such as Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), and Nagpur, a person with an annual income of up to Rs 6 lakh and up to Rs 9 lakh falls under the EWS and LIG segments, respectively. An applicant with an annual income of up to Rs 12 lakh is part of the MIG, and any income level above that will be treated as a high-income group applicant.

The revised guidelines will be applicable for all apartments currently being built or will be built under various schemes of MHADA and on the land parcels allotted by the development authority. This move by the Maharashtra government is expected to help in providing affordable housing to the middle class and ensure the effective use of land parcels allotted by the development authority.

The decision to allow applicants to apply in one category higher than their income level is a welcome move as it will increase the chances of securing a home for the lower-income groups who may have a slightly higher income level but are unable to afford apartments in higher categories. The government's move to restrict EWS and LIG applicants from applying for HIG apartments is also a practical decision as it will prevent the wastage of housing units that cannot be sold to these categories.

Overall, the government's decision to revise the guidelines for carpet area and the eligibility criteria for applying for different categories of apartments is expected to create a more balanced and affordable housing market in the state. It will help in promoting social equity and providing access to safe and affordable housing to all sections of society.

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Maharashtra government revises guidelines for houses built and allotted by MHADA

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