THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Housing and Forests Benoy Viswom said here on Tuesday that the State Government was planning to introduce a legislation for reserving 15 to 20 per cent of the houses in any major housing projects to the poorer sections of the people.

The Minister disclosed this while inaugurating a function to mark the renaming of the Nirmithi Training and Research Institute as `Laurie Baker Nirmithi Training and Research Institute' to commemorate the contributions of the late architect Laurie Baker in promoting low-cost housing technology in the State.

He said the Government would release its draft housing policy on Wednesday and efforts to fulfil the housing needs of the poor would be the focal point of the policy. The draft would be kept open for public discussions for three months and the final policy would be announced after incorporating suggestions.

Mr Viswam said the proposal for earmarking 15 to 20 per cent of any major housing projects to the poorer sections was already included in the national level housing policy. It would be included in the State housing policy as well.

"We had already expressed our apprehension to the Centre as to whether the proposal could be implemented without the necessary legislative back up. The State Government has already recognised the need for such a legislation,'' the Minister said.

He said the Laurie Baker institute would be holding training programmes for both the technocrats and artisans on various facets of cost-effective housing technologies.

It would also be conducting research programmes on new construction materials as well as in allied subjects.

Inalienable right

Delivering the Laurie Baker memorial lecture, social activist and Right to Livelihood Award winner Ruth Manorama said having a house was the inalienable right of the people and none including the Government had the powers to forcibly evict people from their dwellings in the name of acquiring land for various projects.

She said providing house to the people was equivalent to ensuring a democratic space to them and initiatives in this direction were part of a movement to usher in distributive justice in society.

The Minister also inaugurated an exhibition of clay products from the Nirmithi Kendra. Sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman inaugurated the sale of the products. Housing Secretary Lida Jacob presided over the programme.

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