Centre's Housing Bonanza For Govt Employees In Delhi

At a time when the Aam Aadmi government in Delhi is making plans to get full statehood for the national capital and take land and related matters into its fold, the Union Cabinet has decided to double the capacity of housing stock for its employees in the city — from 12,970 units at present to 25,667 in the coming five years.

The government plans to redevelop seven General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colonies -- at Kasturba Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Mohammadpur, Sarojini Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Thyagraj Nagar -- at an estimated cost of Rs 32,835 crore, including maintenance for 30 years.

"After reconstruction, renovation and fresh construction, they could be increased from the present 12,970 to 25,667 dwelling units. This will help government employees who have to wait for long years to get government accommodations," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media.

Now, how will this help government employees in the national capital region?

Government residences in Delhi and 31 outstation locations constitute the general pool residential accommodation, and allotment to these units is governed by the Government Residences (General Pool in Delhi) Rules, 1963. A close look at the 20-page document available on the website of the Directorate of Estates, Delhi, will help you understand that only the lucky ones get to stay in these highly subsidised accommodations at prime localities of Delhi. The long wait list and the umpteen terms and conditions, however, do not dissuade these 'eligible' central government and Delhi government employees waiting for their turn.

Classified in 11 categories, including hostel accommodations, these units are awarded to employees factoring in their basic salaries. For instance, those whose basic monthly salary is below Rs 3,050 can apply for Type-1 residences, while those earning Rs 26,000 and above a month are eligible for Type-8 accommodations.

According to the Census data, the number of Central government employees in 2011 stood at 30.87 lakh. Of them, 203,051 were posted in the national capital and contributed 6.58 per cent to the total pool. Housing these many people is a key concern of the government, as in-hand pay of government employees is much lower than their peers in the private sector. While this is likely to change soon when the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations are implemented, there is more to it than meets the eye. Government jobs attract most Indians for the perks that they offer, and not the salaries alone. Housing in prime localities of the city is one of the most attractive perks.

Census data show that between 2009 and 2011, there has been a 0.39 per cent drop in the number of Central government employees. While the Census cited the government's recruitment policy for the decline, a key reason could be people's rising aversion to government jobs and their increasing interest better-paying private jobs. By improving its housing facilities, the government could be able to retain the old charm of government jobs.

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