Use local materials to build low cost houses: Govt

The government said on Tuesday it will try to promote use of local technologies and material to build low cost houses for the poor and asked organisations working in the field to assist it in the process.

"Low cost building material and use of local material is important for urban housing needs. . .We have to work in this direction," minister of state for urban development Saugata Roy said in New Delhi.

The minister was speaking at a seminar on low cost housing, organised by the Indian Building Congress.

About 300 builders, engineers, architects and construction experts from various parts of the country took part in the two-day seminar held in New Delhi.

Pointing out that the use of low cost material like fly ash was important for providing cheap houses to the economically weaker sections and the low income group, Roy said that this assumed significance as the cost of cement was increasing.

Low cost housing should not mean low quality houses, IBC said, adding it was important to concentrate on technological inputs from various countries to achieve quality housing construction at low cost.

Referring to the Commonwealth Games to be held later this year, Roy said that the schemes for relocation of the slums was yet to be fully implemented even as a large number of foreigners would visit the city.