Bhubaneswar, Sept. 5: The empowered committee on infrastructure have given in-principle approval to two affordable housing projects in the city proposed by the development authority.

An affordable housing project will come up on six acres at Nakhara on city outskirts, while a slum development project will be taken up on 3.82 acres at Gadakana. Both the projects will be constructed in the public-private partnership mode.

Headed by chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, the committee is responsible for giving final approval to various infrastructure projects that are taken up in the public-private partnership mode.

In the Nakhara housing project, 65 per cent of the project area will be earmarked for building accommodation for people belonging to the economically weaker section and the low-income group categories. At least 50 per cent of the total number of houses built will be reserved for the people from the economically weaker category.

The ownership of the apartments will remain with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority and the dwellings units will be allotted free of cost to the eligible beneficiaries. The remaining 35 per cent area will be given to the private developer on lease. It will utilise the land for development of other housing and commercial projects, subject to planning and building regulations.

The department-level monitoring committee cleared the Nakhara project on July 28. The nod from the empowered committee was the last hurdle towards its completion.

In the Gadakana project, 65 per cent percent of the project area will be earmarked for building houses to rehabilitate slum dwellers. All these dwelling units will be meant for the people from the economically weaker section. The private executor of the project will use the remaining 35 per cent land for other residential or commercial projects.