Govt Allows Using CSR Fund & Donations To Build Multi-storey Shelter For Homeless
In a move to push the construction of more shelters for homeless in big cities like Delhi, the housing ministry allowed using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and other donations for this task. The companies and donors will be allowed to display names of such donors.
A panel headed by Union housing minister M Venkaiah Naidu also allowed construction of multi-storied shelters for urban homeless keeping in view land constraints has also been permitted besides allowing attendants of patients to use such shelters. CCTVs are to be provided in shelters for women and children to ensure their security, the ministry said.
The panel also allowed banks to accept applications from the beneficiaries (urban poor) directly for extending subsidised loans for setting up individual and group enterprises under the self-employment programme of national urban livelihood mission (NULM) dispensing with the need for sponsorship by urban local bodies.
Making sweeping changes in the NULM guidelines to benefit more urban poor, the housing and poverty alleviation ministry also decided that one bank will be designated as the nodal agency for each state to coordinate with all other banks to increase banking linkages for loan support under this component.
According to an official release, the norms for formation of self-help groups of urban poor have been relaxed allowing up to 10 members to form a group in hilly and tribal areas as against the earlier norm of 20 members. People involved in vulnerable occupations such as sanitation workers, rag pickers and rickshaw pullers are now allowed to form such groups, who would be eligible for bank loans and revolving fund of Rs 10,000 for each group.
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