Looking to boost the housing sector, the Modi government is mulling a new scheme that may use money from the demonetisation drive. According to an ET Now report, the government is keen to boost the housing sector via a new scheme and is already in discussion with the RBI. The new housing scheme may be announced as early as the Union Budget 2017, which is expected to be presented on February 1. The channel reported that the final contours of the housing scheme will be decided after the details of revenue earned from demonetisation emerge. The report went on to add that the government is eyeing an interest rate in the range of 6-7% for home loans up to Rs 50 lakh. This new lower interest rate option of 6-7% will be available to first time borrowers and is likely to provide a much needed impetus to the housing market.
The real estate sector has been under pressure for quite some time now, and with the government’s move to demonetise old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, experts expect an initial slump in home sales. However, there are also chances that banks will find room to lower loan rates – a step that would encourage people to buy homes. ‘Housing For All’ is a dream project of the Modi government, and the new scheme that is being talked about appears to be a way to avoid demand for real estate from falling further. The proposed interest rate range of 6-7% for home loans up to Rs 50 lakh also suggests that the government is looking to make housing more affordable for all.
While rating agencies and analysts were skeptical of the impact of demonetisation on the real estate sector, some industry experts had welcomed the move, stating that it would benefit in the long-term. Nirmal Jain, Chairman of India Infoline had said that housing will no longer be a distant dream for people now. “This (demonetisation) is a very powerful measure to curb black money. PM Modi has kept his promise of taking stern measures against black money. It will have deflationary impact in general and more specifically on real estate prices and make homes affordable, and is indirectly a boon to honest tax payers,” he had said.
ref: http://tz.ucweb.com/11_1qqhY
