Procedural Changes Required for Making Local Self Government's Role Effective in Rural Housing in Kerela

This study analyses the implementation of housing schemes for the poor through the Panchayats in Kasargod District of Kerala. It brings to light the severity of the housing problem in this part of the state. As panchayats have been spending substantial resources on housing during the past decade, such a finding was unexpected. There is also a general feeling among policy makers in Kerala that housing is not a major problem anymore i.e., that only a small section of the population would need support for housing. This study indicates that such an assumption may not be realistic in many parts of north Kerala. Moreover, the study highlights severe procedural constraints in the effective implementation of housing schemes through LSGs. It may be underlined that mere provision of fixed subsidy is far from adequate to solve the problem of housing in rural Kerala. [Research and Policy Note No.1] URL: [http://www.cds.edu/]