Srinagar, Oct 30 : J&K government told the legislative assembly on Thursday that colonies for economically weaker sections of the society are being developed across various districts to ease the housing problem.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has initiated several housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to address the growing problem of urban congestion.

The Housing and Urban Development Department informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

Replying to a starred question (No. 198) raised by senior NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar, the government said that new housing colonies for the economically weaker sections (EWS) are being developed across various districts of the Union Territory.

The reply stated that 760 flats for EWS are under construction at Bhalwal in Jammu, while 304 flats are being built at Chakhar, Sundli in Udhampur.

The department further informed that the J&K Housing Board has identified state land in different districts for additional flat accommodations under PMAY (U) 2.0.

Land at 10 locations across the Union Territory has already been transferred to the Housing Board for the development of housing colonies for the general public, including EWS.

'Affordable rental housing/flats under the Affordable Rental Housing (ARH) vertical are also being provisioned for the urban poor in Jammu City,' the reply added.

J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, recently introduced a bill in the legislative assembly Rent Authority regularity bill, to protect the interests of landlords and tenants, and to provide a speedy adjudication mechanism for the resolution of disputes and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

'The Bill has already been published in an extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette,' the Chief Minister had said while introducing the Bill.

Subsequently, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, placed the Bill before the House for consideration.

/IANS