The Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing has called on the government to subsidise local authorities in their efforts to service land for housing development.
The committee believes this measure will reduce development costs and significantly improve access to affordable housing, especially for low-income and landless communities.
The committee urged that all land developed under the Flexible Land Tenure Act should remain state-owned, with occupants granted rights of use rather than ownership through purchase.
“The Government should fully service informal settlement land under flexible tenure arrangements and provide subsidies to support access to adequate housing and infrastructure for the urban poor and landless,” the committee said.
The committee further recommended that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development (MURD), in partnership with local authorities, adopt a flexible co-ownership housing model for the urban poor.
This approach aims to safeguard residents from asset loss and promote long-term financial stability.
“The Government in collaboration with Local Authorities should incentivise and facilitate private sector partnerships through land-sharing schemes and collaborative models to improve land access for marginalised,” the committee said.
According to the lawmakers, the government must create an autonomous National Land Agency (NLA) responsible for land management, policy implementation, and coordination among local governments.
“Local authorities should be empowered by the state to streamline land delivery processes and minimise the involvement of middlemen, ensuring more efficient and transparent access to land for communities,” they added.
Furthermore, MURD, in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform and all local authorities, has been tasked with developing a robust National Land Use Master Plan. This master plan is intended to prevent illegal land grabbing, ensure coordinated urban growth, and optimise land use across various sectors.
To address the issue of informal settlements, the committee proposed the introduction of structured rehousing programmes. These initiatives, led by major local authorities with central government support, would focus on upgrading informal settlements while ensuring that residents are not displaced.
