Government programmes, policies and housing development in the five-year plans

There was no regular housing scheme in Kerala under the first Five Year Plan.  The only programmes for which financial allocations were made consisted of provision for staff housing, housing advance to government employees and outlay on acquisition and development of land.  Towards the end of the plan period (1954-55) two schemes, viz., the Low Income Group (LIG) Housing Scheme and the Subsidized Industrial Housing Scheme were initiated by the state government. 
 
Other schemes/programmes which were sponsored by the government in later plan periods included Middle Income Group (MIG) Housing Scheme, Slum Clearance and Improvement Scheme, provision of jail building, police housing, etc.  The various schemes initiated by the government in Kerala and allocations made for these in the various plans actually helped to meet the housing needs of a section of the population. 
 
Of these schemes, the Industrial Workers Subsidized Housing Scheme, Slum Clearance and Improvement Scheme, Police Housing and Staff Housing Scheme are oriented towards augmenting the supply of rental housing in the city.  Most of these schemes are directed towards providing staff housing to the government employees.  Thus in Kerala Real Estate developments were totally controlled by the government in early plan periods.
 
The Slum Clearance Scheme and Industrial Workers Subsidized Housing Scheme were the only schemes of rental housing for the general public.  None of these schemes have been successful.  The Slum Clearance Scheme had proved to be a big failure for various reasons.  A major part of those funds is now being allocated for Slum Improvement rather than for giving provision of rental housing to the slum dwellers.  Similarly, the problem faced in managing rental housing in the Industrial Workers Scheme has led to a decline in the outlay on this scheme