- The Committee of Secretaries set up the High-Level Group under the Chairmanship of Dr. C. Rangarajan, the then Deputy Governor, RBI to examine the proposal and recommended the setting up of National Housing Bank as an autonomous housing finance institution.
- The recommendations of the High-Level Group were accepted by the Government of India.
- The Hon’ble PM, while presenting the Union Budget for 1987-88 on February 28, 1987, announced the decision to establish the National Housing Bank (NHB) as an apex level institution for housing finance.
- The National Housing Policy, 1988 envisaged the setting up of NHB as the Apex level institution for housing.
- NHB was set up on July 9, 1988, under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987.
- NHB is wholly owned by Reserve Bank of India, which contributed the entire paid-up capital.
- The general superintendence, direction, and management of the affairs and business of NHB vest, under the Act, in a Board of Directors.
- The Head Office of NHB is at New Delhi.
Preamble of the National Housing Bank:
The
Preamble of the National Housing Bank Act, 1987 describes the
basic functions of the NHB as – to operate as a
principal agency to promote housing finance institutions both at local and regional levels and to provide financial and other support to such institutions and for matters connected there with or incidental there to.
Vision:
Promoting inclusive expansion with stability in housing finance market.
Mission:
To harness and promote the market potentials to serve the housing needs of all segments of the population with the focus on low and moderate-income housing.
Objectives:
- To promote a sound, healthy, viable and cost-effective housing finance system to cater to all segments of the population and to integrate the housing finance system with the overall financial system.
- To promote a network of dedicated housing finance institutions to adequately serve various regions and different income groups.
- To augment resources for the sector and channelize them for housing.
- To make housing credit more affordable.
- To regulate the activities of housing finance companies based on regulatory and supervisory authority derived under the Act.
- To encourage augmentation of supply of buildable land and also building materials for housing and to upgrade the housing stock in the country.
- To encourage public agencies to emerge as facilitators and suppliers of serviced land, for housing.
Note: Shri Sriram Kalyanaraman is the MD & Chief Executive Officer of National Housing Bank.