The Uttar Pradesh government will start a scheme that will offer?affordable rental housing for people belonging to economically weaker sections?living in cities and a proposal to this effect was approved by the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an official release issued in Lucknow on Friday said.

The new Affordable Rental Housing and Complexes (ARHC) scheme is aimed to benefit urban migrants/poor labourers, those belonging to economically weaker sections, low-income groups including factory workers, educational institutions, people associated with hospitality, and students.

Preference will be given to people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, widows, working women, divyang, and minorities, which will be subject to the provisions made by the state government, the release said.

The ARHC scheme has been launched by the government of India through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the 'self-reliant India' campaign, the statement said.

It will be implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to promote the participation of private/public institutions for construction, operation and maintenance of rental housing complexes for urban migrants/poor, it said.

The scheme will be implemented under two models in the state.

Model one involves converting vacant houses funded by the central or state government into an ARHC through an agreement.

Under the second model, ARHC will be built, operated and maintained by public/private entities on their available vacant land, it said.

No proposal will be accepted without technical examination of the 'Avas Bandhu' under the scheme, it said.

According to the statement, all projects under the scheme will be used for rental accommodation only for EWS/LIG category, urban migrants/poor for minimum 25 years.

If ARHC is used for any purpose other than rent, action will be taken against the agency concerned by the competent authority according to rules, the release said.

(With inputs from PTI)