Archive · 11 Aug 2026
NITI Aayog proposes land reforms to boost affordable housing
A group that helps the Indian government plan for the future, called NITI Aayog, has shared ideas to make affordable homes easier to build.
They think the cost of land is one of the biggest problems, so they want to make it cheaper to use land for homes.
They also suggested not charging a special tax on affordable homes, called stamp duty.
Cities could set aside at least one-tenth of their residential land just for affordable housing.
Builders could also be allowed to build taller buildings on the same piece of land.
The plan also wants more rental homes for workers, students, and young professionals.
A big meeting about these ideas happened in New Delhi on August 11.
Government leaders, experts, and financial institutions all talked together at the meeting.
The goal is to make sure everyone can have a good, affordable place to live.
NITI Aayog proposed exempting affordable housing units from stamp duty and waiving land-use change fees for land dedicated to affordable housing.
NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba called land the 'most binding constraint' in the housing sector and central to the reform agenda.
Proposals include reserving at least 10% of residential land for affordable housing zones in master plans and raising the Floor Area Ratio to 5-6.
The proposals were discussed at the National Conference on Affordable Housing Reforms in New Delhi on August 11, organized by MoHUA.
PMAY-U 2.0 aims to support 1 crore additional eligible urban families, building on PMAY-U launched in 2015.
- Who
- NITI Aayog, led by Member Rajiv Gauba, along with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), states, urban local bodies and financial institutions
- What
- Proposed land and urban planning reforms, including stamp duty exemption and lower land charges, to make affordable housing more viable
- When
- August 11
- Where
- Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
- Why
- Because land is the 'most binding constraint' limiting affordable housing development at scale
- Proposing body
- NITI Aayog
- Key proposals
- Stamp duty exemption for affordable housing; waiver of land-use change fees
- Residential land reservation
- At least 10% as affordable housing zones in master plans
- Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
- 5-6 for affordable housing projects
- Event
- National Conference on Affordable Housing Reforms
- Date and venue
- August 11, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
- Organizer
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
- PMAY-U 2.0 target
- 1 crore additional eligible urban families