Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today said urban India is undergoing a transition in terms of physical forms, demographic profile and socio-economic diversity. Inaugurating National consultation seminar on accelerating implementation Urban missions, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) in New Delhi, Mr Puri said, the important role of cities in the national economic process and their global linkages demand more attention for their development than being hitherto given.<br/><br/>He said cities are expected to perform efficiently in keeping with emerging demands for employment, commerce, trade, industry and other services. Mr Puri said the two flagship programmes Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) are almost impossible to achieve unless succeeding in meeting the target of clean India nationwide. <br/><br/>Mr Puri said, there is a need to make the flagship programmes a reality to minimize the negative impacts of rising urbanization, including open defecation and inefficiency to waste management. He said, if the nation strives to grow at 8 percent per annum, the job creation and economic opportunities will come from the urban space.<br/><br/> He said massive migration will be attracted to the urban space posing huge challenges on infrastructure and services. The Minister said the government is working towards promoting and providing affordable accommodation to the rapidly-growing population in urban space with a subsidy. He said, under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban) In-Situ redevelopment of slums is expected to be achieved. <br/><br/>He informed that since the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) in June 2015, the Government has sanctioned over 30 lakhs houses across all verticals. He said, currently over 15 lakh houses have been grounded and are at various stages of construction and over 4 lakh houses have been constructed since the launch of the mission.<br/><br/> He said, the Housing sector is the engine of economic growth that enables and feeds into the aforementioned and it is a vital sector of the economy creating jobs and generating taxes and wages that positively influence the quality of life. The Minister observed that the local demand for housing is pegged at around 12 million and informed that the government has endeavored a number of measures like infrastructure status to affordable housing, direct tax benefits under Section 80-IBA of IT Act, relaxation in FDI and ECB proposals, reduction in holding period for long-term capital gain benefits and standardized usage of carpet area definition.