Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated a new scheme under the Department of Housing and Urban Development, allowing self-certification for building permits of homes up to 3,500 square feet on plots up to 2,500 square feet. The initiative, first introduced in the 2024-25 state budget, aims to help economically weaker sections and the middle class by simplifying the approval process and reducing costs. Applicants can receive permits immediately, with certain inspections waived. The scheme is expected to benefit rural and urban areas alike, reducing approval charges and streamlining home construction in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated a new scheme under the Department of Housing and Urban Development, issuing building permits to 10 beneficiaries. This scheme is designed to simplify the process of constructing smaller residential buildings. The state government has announced that individuals planning to build homes with a built-up area of up to 3,500 square feet on plots up to 2,500 square feet can now obtain building permission on a self-certification basis.
This scheme, introduced for the first time in Tamil Nadu, aims to assist economically weaker sections and middle-class individuals. The Directorate of Town and Country Planning director, B Ganesan, highlighted that this initiative would greatly benefit these groups.
The scheme was first introduced in the 2024-25 state budget. It stipulates that those planning homes with a built-up area of up to 3,500 square feet, including ground floor or ground floor plus the first floor under 7 metres in height, on plots up to 2,500 square feet, can obtain building permits through self-certification.
Several relaxations have been provided under this scheme. These include a reduction in the setback requirement to 1.5 metres, a scrutiny fee of INR 2 per square metre, and exemptions from infrastructure development and other charges of INR 375 per square metre. An official stated that applicants could immediately receive building permits and related documents with a QR code after paying the necessary fees. Both pre-site and final inspections have been waived, although there will be some surprise compulsory inspections.
Currently, 72% of building permit applications for residential buildings come from rural areas, 77% from town panchayats, and 79% from municipalities and corporations. These applications are reviewed by the respective local bodies through a single-window system.
S Sridharan, Vice-President of the Confederation of Real Estate Associations of India (Credai National - South), expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and the government. He praised the initiative as a positive move that would significantly benefit people, particularly middle-class individuals who are building their own homes or developers constructing one or two units. Sridharan observed that the reduction or waiver of most approval charges will lead to a decrease in costs.
J M Kavinithi, a second-year medical student who received her online permit on Monday, shared her experience. She noted that her father had purchased a plot in her name in Chennai. She discovered the self-certification process, applied for it, and received approval with ease, contrasting this with her father's struggles to obtain approval.
This new scheme reflects the government's commitment to making home construction more accessible and affordable for the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly those from economically weaker sections and the middle class. By streamlining the approval process and reducing costs, the government aims to encourage more individuals to build their own homes, thus addressing housing needs in the state.
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