RURAL HOUSING AND INSTITUTIONAL FINANCE
THE CASE OF INDIA
Housing is a global problem,
but it is more pronounced in developing countries. Undoubtedly, housing is one
of the most important basic needs of civilized life for human survival.
Possession of a house is a sign of social status and privilege in any society
particularly in rural settings. It is more significant for rural poor as it lays
foundation of dignity, brings about a profound social change in his existence,
endowing him with an identity, thus integrating him with his immediate social
milieu. Considering this daunting problem, provision for housing for shelterless
poor is a challenging task for developing countries. Hence, most of the
countries have a clear policy perspective on rural housing and habitat
development in order to fulfill their requirements. Moreover, it is an important
dimension of development both in economic as well as welfare terms.
Housing has multifaceted economic and social characteristics. One of the crucial
issues in improving the housing conditions in rural areas is the lack of
availability and accessibility of housing finance. Several studies conducted by
various governments and international agencies have analysed this issue and
observed the need for improvement in the housing finance system. Thus, economic
aspect of rural settlement, particularly rural housing is an important aspect of
examination in order to formulate policy priority.
Keeping in view the enormity of the problem of housing in rural areas and
particularly housing finance, this paper attempts to provide a brief overview of
existing government policy and programmes pertaining to rural housing in