Apun Ghar is a interest subvention scheme by the State Government of Assam. The aim is to provide housing loan to the regular State Government employees through the State Bank of India (SBI). Apun Ghar is a Home Loan Scheme to provide home loans at a lower interest rates for the state government employees. As per data released by the Government, about 4.5 Lakh Government employees will benefit under the home loan scheme.
In order to avail benefits of this home loan scheme, the applicant must be above 21 years. He or she must be employed in any of the state government departments for a minimum of 5 years and above.
It is important to note that the benefits of Apun Ghar Scheme will be available to only those State Government employees who will apply for a housing loan within 2 years from the date of issuance of the Government notification.
Difference between SBI Loan Rate and Apun Ghar Loan Rate
SBI has decided to extend the home loan to the State Government employees at an interest rate of 8.50% for women and 8.55% for men. Assam Government will provide 3.5% subvention of interest provided the employee applies for the subvention. Once the subvention application is approved, the effective interest rate of home loan will be 5.00% for women and 5.05% for men.
The EMI of the Apun Ghar Home Loan will be charged to the employee by SBI at 8.5% and 8.55% respectively, and the State Government will credit the subsidy of 3.5% into the salary account of the State Government employees.
The interest rate for a normal home loan from SBI is around 9% for an ordinary citizen of the country.
Other Benefits of Apun Ghar Home Loan Scheme
Loan Amount: Under this Apun Ghar Home Loan Scheme, the eligible employees would be able to get the maximum loan amount of Rs. 15 Lakhs.
Loan Tenure: Apun Ghar home loan scheme will provide home loan for a period of 20 years. For pensionable service holders, the loan has to be repaid by the age of 70 years. For non-pensionable service holders, the loan has to be repaid by the age of 60 years.
No Processing Fee: Unlike the other home loans offered by the state banks of India, Apun Ghar home loan will have no processing fee for the State Government employees.
Floating Interest Rate: The State Government employees will enjoy a floating rate of interest so that they can take the benefit of a reduced market lending rate.
Purpose of Loan: The loan will be sanctioned for the following purposes – 1) Construction of a house on an existing plot of land either in the name of the State Government employee or the spouse; 2) Purchase of land and construction of house on it; 3) Purchase of flats or readymade buildings within the state of Assam. It will not be given for purchase of land or house from close relatives.
Mortgage: There is no need for mortgaging the property or land of the State Government employee up to a Apun Ghar loan amount of Rs. 10 lakhs. For loans above 10 lakhs, SBI will release the Title Deeds and issue a ‘No Due’ certificate to the borrower with a copy to the Finance Department of the Govt. of Assam.
Loan Transfer: State Government employees will be able to transfer their existing home loans with SBI or any other bank into this Apun Ghar Subsidy Scheme to avail the interest discount.
Loan Application: The loan applicants are required to visit the nearest District Drawing and Disbursing Office with the complete set of documents as per the check list and application form provided by the SBI.
Joint Application: Close relatives can come together to avail the home loan jointly, provided they are both employees of the State Government of Assam. The combined loan amount should be within the prescribed loan amount limit.
When was it announced?
The Apun Ghar housing loan scheme of Assam government was announced by the Assam government in the month of March 2017. The scheme will kickstart in the Financial Year 2017 – 2018.
Apun Ghar is clearly an initiative taken under the vision of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide housing for all by the year of 2022.
We all know that we should keep our house clean, but we all have busy lives and we tend to procrastinate and get lazy about it. Let us admit it – cleaning the house is not fun. Gradually, we become used to living in a dirty, untidy place. It is a simple matter that one must keep their house clean for health reasons. Apart from health, here are 10 reasons which should give you that extra energy to find time to keep a clean & tidy home on a regular basis.
Finding stuff:
Long lost stuff, that you might have thought you lost can be found during cleaning. Going through mails, papers, clothes, household items will help you find many things and you may find it useful again. This reduces your cost and you also get your valuable stuff back!
Good for children:
Infants and young children while crawling will pick up things from floor. They are susceptible to microbes as immune system is yet to develop. You don’t want mildew, dirt and other particles entering the tender body. Keeping house clean and sanitized keeps children healthy and happy.
Visiting friends will appreciate:
You will have friends visiting your home: Your home will welcome your friends. A dirty house does not invite people and makes visitors move away. If you want to socialize and have a community life consider keeping your kitchen and entire house clean. It will motivate you and boosts your confidence to meet and have fun with people that will make you feel good.
You will be creative:
When you clean the house, you will find things that are disorganized and kept in places where they should not be. If you focus on cleaning, your creativity starts to flow and you might find an interesting hobby like decoration, interior designing, indoor gardening etc.
Makes life easy:
Cleaning also involves organizing. It means you will find stuffs easily and when you want. You will know where exactly things are kept and it helps you accomplish work easily by end of your day. Keeping house clean means fewer distractions and more work done!
You will prevent pest infestation:
When you keep house clean you won’t invite pests like cockroach, mice, mosquitoes etc. If you don’t let clutter pile up, you won’t be having pest problems at home.
Extend life for home materials:
Regular cleaning of household items and materials make it lose longer. For example, a clean mixer will perform better. Cleaning carpets or rugs regularly them look and smell fresh. Similarly, bathtubs, dining table, sinks, trashcans – smaller to bigger things should be kept clean for a longer life.
You will spend less time cleaning:
Regular cleaning makes it easier to clean house fast. It saves lot of time and house always looks fresh and inviting. It also saves time for you and family. It becomes less stressful and you will relax without the clutter around you everyday.
Improves quality of the indoor air:
Air quality of the house is important for health. Regular cleaning reduces allergies, asthma and any breathing problem. It reduces dust bunnies, mildew and animal dander.
You will sleep better:
Yes, this is true! After cleaning the house, you will feel calmer and stress free. Cleaning is also physical exercise. This will make you to go bed without dust and dirt around the house. With the satisfaction of having cleaned, and having a clean bedsheet and clean pillows gives you more relaxing sleep.
Conclusion
Whether a big or small home – A clean organized home is always a beautiful home. Organizing helps you to focus on quality than on quantity. It gives happiness and spreads joy in the family, and in the neighbourhood.
While external air quality is a variable of multiple factors and it is, most often, out of one’s control, here’s how you could still improve the indoor air quality for a healthy living.
The quality of air in the urban areas is deteriorating. People are advised not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. It is a prime time news that the situation of air pollution is going out of hand. Air quality indoors however is a lot more in our control.
Citizens should not only be aware of environmental air pollution, but also of indoor air pollution in their homes. It is often caused by ordinary household items, which can sometimes be toxic. For example, formaldehyde contained in composite wood and chemicals contained in common cleaning materials release pollutants in the air and cause grave health hazards. Citizens should be aware that any garbage that goes to the dump is at risk of burning and should practice recycling at home and societies.
Improve Indoor Air Quality
All is not lost yet. There are a number of things citizens can do to protect their health in such a scenario. You can still take some steps to purify air indoors and preserve your health. Plants are the best way to naturally purify the air around you.
You can also add a few succulents in your bedroom. Unlike other plants that exhale carbon dioxide at night; succulents continue to give oxygen even at night. It makes for a healthy oxygen balance while you sleep.
It is better to use loam-based compost and cocopeat mixture for indoor potting. Also, we should regularly prune the indoor plants.
At times, plants get dusty and this dust can block sunlight, which will slow down photosynthesis – spray water on the plant to keep the dust away. If spraying water is not an option as the plant is placed indoors, use a moist sponge or cloth to wipe the leaves.
Apart from increasing oxygen levels, indoor plants can filter chemicals from the air and help trap pollutants, thus minimizing air pollution. Indoor plants with air purifying properties are:
Spider plant;
Dracaena;
Weeping fig;
Peace lily;
Mother-in-laws tongue;
All species of Pothos (Money plant);
Aloe Vera;
Philodendron.
Fragrant plants are a natural and chemical-free way to freshen your home instead of using artificial air fresheners. Lemon and rosemary are examples of plants with a refreshing, wonderful fragrance. Keep small aromatic saplings in your bathroom too, if space permits.
Plants also work wonders for your mental health; seeing a plant can subconsciously make one feel calm and relaxed, thereby reducing stress. Instead of placing pots on the ground, we may place them on a bench at eye level. Hanging plants in an interior space adds a new layer to your home decor.
We may use branches in the balcony instead of placing pots to give the balcony an interesting look.
You may skip decorative show pieces and opt for small fresh plants at the centre table to give your living room a whole new dimension.
Conclusion
We may not have control over the external environment, but we can definitely try to breath fresh air inside our homes. It would be very healthy for the children to grow up in a fresh air environment.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Protech Group is a responsibility that we take very seriously. We have a commitment to the development and welfare of the ‘not-so-privileged’ sections of society.
Assam Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board was constituted in adherence to the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1996. This Board ensures the delivery of various welfare benefits to registered construction workers. On the 3rd of April, 2018, Protech Group organized a camp at the project site of Protech Tulip to help construction workers to register for the scheme.
Registration Process
The worker registration camp at Protech Tulip, Borsojai, Guwahati was initiated by The assistant Labor Commissioner, Ms Ajanta Sarma. It was supported by The Assam Real Estate and Infrastructure Developers’ Association (ARIEDA). Apart from the support in filling up the form with the necessary documentary evidence, the registration process included age verification and certification by Govt. Doctors and a spot bank account were opened by the Bank of India officials.
The employees of the Protech family along with the Protech Group MD, Mr. Manoj Jalan, worked to the best of their abilities in assisting the officials and were able to register a record total of 164 construction workers consisting of labourers, masons, helpers etc in one single day.
The assistant Labor Commissioner, Ms Ajanta Sarma and the President of ARIEDA, Mr. P. K Sarma lauded the enthusiasm shown by everyone at Protech for the successful registration of a record number of workers.
Member Benefits
All the registered workers will now be able to avail benefits in the areas of child education, loans, health, disability, accident, pension and death. Here are the detail benefits as was provided to us by the office of the Labour Commissioner.
Medical assistance / accident benefit
Up to 5 days Rs. 1000/- (per day) and for the remaining day Rs. 200/- (per day) up to a maximum of Rs 20,000/-
Critical disease= Rs. 1,50,000/-
Partial disability 25%, 50%, 80% or 50% above Rs. 25,000/-, Rs. 50,000/-, Rs. 70,000/-, and Rs. 1,50,000/- respectively.
General pension: Rs. 2,000/- Minimum
Family pension: Rs 2,000/- Minimum
Disability pension: One-time pension of Rs. 3,00,000/- and Rs. 2,000/- per month + Rs. 100/- for every completed year of service)
Cash award to a child:
Rs. 5,000/- for marks above 75%
Rs. 4,000/- for marks above 65%
Rs. 3,500/- for marks above 55%
Educational Assistance:
Class I to IV = Rs. 1,500/-
Class V to VII = Rs. 2,750/-
Class VIII to X = Rs. 4,000/-
Class XI to XII = Rs. 7,000/-
Degree Course or its equivalent Courses = Rs. 10,000/-
Post Gradute or Equivalent Classes Including Engineering Medical / Competitive Examination = Rs. 20,000/-
Marriage Assistance: Rs. 25,000/- (3 yrs Registration)
Maternity Benefit: Rs. 20,000/-
Death Benefit:
Normal Death – Rs. 50,000/-
Accidental Death – Rs. 3,00,000/-
Funeral Assistance:
Normal Death – Rs. 5,000/-
Accidental Death – Rs. 5,000/-
Janashree Bima Yojana:
Normal Death Benefit: Rs. 2,00,000/-
Accidental Death Benefit: Rs. 4,00,000/- (18 years to 50 years)
Normal Death (50 years above): Rs. 30,000/-
Accidental Death (50 years above): Rs. 75,000/-
House Building Advance (5 years registration):
Flat Purchase: Rs. 5,00,000/-
Land Purchase: Rs. 2,00,000/-
House Purchase: Rs 3,00,000/-
Tools Purchasing Loan : Rs. 20,000/- ( 3 years registration)
Health Check up:
18 years to 40 years: Rs. 3,000/-
Above 40 years: Rs. 5,000/- (3 years registration)
Conclusion:
Protech as the pioneer real estate group in Guwahati wants to be an example of a good corporate citizen, and is committed to take more such initiatives in the future to enrich the lives of the needy sections of the society.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme is one of the most anticipated schemes of the Govt. of India, whose main aim is to construct housing projects at affordable rates. You can avail the benefits of buying homes with low-interest rates, even if your parents have their own homes. The project aims to provide a roof to over 20 million urban poor people by the year 2022.
Under this, there is a Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) on home loans for properties in the urban market belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG), and Middle Income Group 1 & 2 (MIG). It can be availed for new or resale purchase of a home, construction, or for extension or improvement of rooms, kitchen, toilet, etc.
Calculate your PMAY CLSS subsidy by inputting your annual family income, loan amount, loan tenure, and your carpet area in sq. meters by clicking the link below
In order to avail of subsidies on loans from the government, every applicant needs to meet the eligibility criteria set by the PMAY committee. Prospective applicants have been branched into four distinct groups:
Applicant Groups
Eligibility Details
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
People who earn an annual household income of less than Rs.3 lakh come under the EWS category
Light Income Group (LIG)
People who earn an annual household income ranging between Rs.3 lakhs to 6 lakhs.
Medium Income Group (MIG1)
People who earn an annual household income ranging between Rs.6 lakhs to 12 lakhs.
Medium Income Group (MIG2)
People who earn an annual household income ranging between Rs.12 lakhs to 18 lakhs.
There are preferences given for Minorities and Women in EWS and LIG groups. The applicant or its dependents should be a first-time home buyer and should not own a pucca property at the time of availing the scheme.
Benefitsof Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
The PMAY advantages can be availed by the individual who can take a loan for the construction of a house. You can avail of the primary loan from any leading organization such as commercial banks, housing finance companies, cooperative banks, etc. There won’t be any processing charge applicable under this scheme.
The subsidies offered are dependent upon the loan amount and the income group you fall in. Applicants with income up to Rs. 6 Lakhs can avail of a maximum subsidy of Rs. 2.67 Lakhs for a home-related loan. Applicants with income up to Rs. 12 lakhs can avail of a maximum subsidy of Rs. 2.35 lakhs. Similarly, applicants with income above 12 lakhs up to 18 lakhs can avail of a maximum subsidy of Rs. 2.30 lakhs.
It has benefits for the builders as well and to avail them, the builders have to complete the housing project in 3 years.
Procedure for applying for PMAY Scheme
You can apply PMAY scheme online, or you can visit any bank or housing finance company and enquire about the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme.
The documents required for applying are very basic:
Address proof documents & photograph
Identity proof documents with photograph
Aadhar Card
Salary slips or bank-certified bank statements for salaried applicants
Income tax returns for the last two years and bank statement of 6 months for self-employed
Affidavit of proof of income
There may be a few other requirements depending on the financial institution that you approach.
So, if you are interested in availing of the benefits of PMAY, just start by deciding on a location, a builder, and a bank that will give you a home loan subsidy under CLSS.
Indeed there are a lot of questions laced with anxiety. Will 2018 be a better time to invest in real estate? After a slowdown in 2017, will real estate be back on track in 2018? The year 2017 set an unexpected precedent. It saw a 30% drop in the number of units sold as compared to 2016.
With demonetization in later 2016 reducing the availability of cash, along with GST and RERA, the real estate section experienced tension amongst buyers and sellers alike. Although, it saw a change in the attitude of the buyers preferring well-known developers at a premium, and a greater demand for 2 & 3 BHK homes, yet buyers were holding back purchases in anticipation of final RERA notifications.
Experts believe that the year 2018 will witness a new transitional phase for real estate in India. The market is expected to show a sign of improvement, for the sector is becoming more buyers friendly with newer reforms. In that pretext, let us dive into the three significant questions for 2018.
What are the existing challenges of buying property in India?
Regulatory Pressure: Like in 2017, developers will have to confront the effect of RERA by concentrating on finishing the ongoing projects. As the supply of ready-to-move-in properties will expand, builders will confront the challenge of finishing the task on a specified due date.
Single Window Clearance: Property clearance for a real estate developer takes from 18 months to 3 years. Single window clearances as envisaged won’t just cut down the project delay but significantly impact the construction costs.
Home Loan Interest Limit: The rising of the home loan interest limit from 2 lakhs for one financial year to 5 lakhs will make the purchase of a home very attractive to individuals. It will increase the demand for homes as consumers will save more on taxes.
GST Rate: 2018 has seen clarity on GST in the real estate industry. There is no GST for completed, ready-to-move-in properties, properties for which a completion certificate has been issued, and for resale of properties.
Rising Input Cost: The real estate industry is both capital and labour intensive. Labour availability, unstable price fluctuations in the concrete industry and other dependent industry impacts the real estate industry significantly.
Growth opportunities in buying a house in India
Focus on Delivery: 2018 will see developers concentrate on finishing the ongoing ventures within the due date. Henceforth, this year should witness significant sale deals being closed quickly. The buyer stands to gain by getting his home at a good price.
Tax Incentives: The government is doing its best to help boost the ‘reasonable housing’ segment through credit-linked subsidy schemes. It accompanies a 4% subsidy, as it deducts one-third of the amount charged for the house towards the cost of land.
Changes in 2017 to shape 2018 and ahead:
With RERA and GST stabilising in 2018, both buyers and builders will have to get a new outlook on how the real estate business is done. Although there is GST for under-developed projects, there will be enhanced transparency that will help both the buyers and the builders.
Clean Capital: RERA and Demonetisation have changed the entire process of building and purchase of a home. Investors and banks have further opened up the road for clean capital in 2018.
PMAY: housing for all: The objective of the Prime Minister to construct homes for all by 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana will definitely get a noteworthy change financially with $1.3 trillion. This will make 60 million new houses and 2 million occupations throughout the following 4-5 years. Urban real estate should see a significant lift in 2018, and affordable housing could rise as the new trend.
Favourable Low Interest: The excess liquidity due to demonetisation has made it possible for banks to lower home loan interest rates. It is expected that EMIs will significantly come down, enabling savings for home buyers.
Affordable HousingPlans: The budget of 2017 had proposals that could benefit and boost the real estate sector in the year 2018. The focus was on affordable housing. One such initiative was to award a 100% tax deduction of profits to an undertaking in affordable housing ventures for flats.
Is the price of real estate in India likely to rise or fall?
After the dip in real estate prices in 2017, residential prices are expected to remain for the most part stable over the following couple of months. As envisaged, there hasn’t been a huge plunge in costs to the extent that the primary market is worried. The year 2018 is probably not going to portray any value increase, nonetheless, experts believe that the current changes will boost the trust and certainty of the home buyers and the sales are probably going to rise in 2018.
With everything taken into account, the year 2018 will remain a decent time to purchase. It is normal that the market will see more alternatives in ready stock since more project completions are expected. As of now, there has been a lack of new project launches because of the introduction of RERA, which could negatively affect the supply of land or real estate properties.
The outlook for the year 2018 is as follows:
The residential segment has been low in 2017 because of demonetization, GST and RERA. Deals backed off; general projects likewise declined. It created a great deal of liquidity crunch. The effect was felt more in NCR and Mumbai, however, the real estate industry has endured on the whole. The positive side is that the affordable housing segment is gearing up.
Going ahead, the standpoint for the residential sector in 2018 is extremely idealistic. Supply is coming in the affordable housing segment, which is the place where most of the demand is coming from. As the economy picks up, the development from rural to urban will quicken. So there will be a significantly increased demand for houses.
To sum it up, 2018 will pose a few difficulties for the real estate sector to the extent to which home deals and costs are concerned. Builders will turn out to be more acquainted with GST and RERA which should enable them to design their projects better. Home sales may remain weak. Property costs may be under strain due to high unsold inventory and even more pressure in the luxury housing segment in places like NCR and Mumbai.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Protech Group is a responsibility that we take very seriously. We have a commitment to the development and welfare of the ‘not-so-privileged’ sections of society.
The worker registration camp at Protech Tulip, Borsojai, Guwahati was initiated by The assistant Labor Commissioner, Ms Ajanta Sarma. It was supported by The Assam Real Estate and Infrastructure Developers’ Association (ARIEDA). Apart from the support in filling up the form with the necessary documentary evidence, the registration process included age verification and certification by Govt. Doctors and a spot bank account were opened by the Bank of India officials.
All the registered workers will now be able to avail benefits in the areas of child education, loans, health, disability, accident, pension and death. Here are the detail benefits as was provided to us by the office of the Labour Commissioner.
