SPARC SAMUDAYA NIRMAN SAHAYAK
  Read about redevelopment projects 
 
In-situ Housing Upgrading
 
Projects in a nutshell
 
 
 
PURI, ODISHA
 
After several re-tenders due to low rates of construction, upgrading of three out of 9 sites was contracted to SSNS. Community savings groups were already in place months before due to efforts of the Puri Federation. SSNS architects/engineers discussed with households to change house designs as allowed by the Puri municipality. Part construction is taken on by Mahila Milan contractors. Delay in payments is causing work to stall and several meetings between the municipality and SPARC alliance have taken place to sort these issues. In the other sites, contractors have abandoned work unable to meet rising costs and the municipality has requested SPARC/SSNS to take on the work.
     
     
 
 
   
   
       
NANDED, MAHARASHTRA 2010 PURI, ODISHA 2010 BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA 2009 PUNE, MAHARASHTRA 2009
       
       
 
Policy + Impact
 
Current projects are taken up under the Government subsidy scheme known as Basic Services to the Urban Poor, a sub-scheme of JnNURM launched in 2006. Under BSUP, 90% of the cost of a house is subsidized by central, state and city governments and 10% is collected as community contribution. The alliance has sought changes on the following fronts:
 
01  New norms for procurement to allow participation from NGOs representing community groups.

02 Work order only includes construction guided by detailed project reports prepared by the municipal corporation. These are often outdated and suggest designs without community consultation. The alliance uses its own funds to re-do designs and settlement layouts based on community needs. Thus, we are advocating for participation in preparation of DPRs prior to call for construction.

03 Better payment delivery systems. Initial capital costs are borne by SSNS using outside funding as government subsidies are only released after the first stage of construction. Delayed payments from the municipality and community contributions remain the biggest challenges to faster delivery of projects.