THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the Centre-state tussle continues over the cobranding of Life Mission houses, the NITI Aayog, think-tank under the union government, has recognised the Life Mission as one of the best practices in affordable housing.

The mission is a “multi-faceted convergence and community-based model”, said a recent report from the NITI-Aayog titled “A Comprehensive Framework to Promote Affordable Housing”.

The report lists best practices linked to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), implemented by nine state governments. It said the Mission integrated housing with livelihood, health and skill support. Also, it empowers communities through multi-sectoral convergence with the PMAY-U.

“This inclusive multi-stakeholder model enhanced coverage, community empowerment and sustainable urban development,” it said.

The other best practices listed in the report are from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Haryana. Kerala, along with five other states, were praised for leveraging self-help group networks for better implementation of PMAY-U.

“Women’s groups supervise construction quality, support geo-tagging, ensure timely instalment release, and motivate beneficiaries to complete houses promptly,” the report said.

Started in 2016, the LIFE Mission is envisaged as a comprehensive housing initiative to alleviate the housing crisis.

This story is reported by M S Vidyanandan of The New Indian Express.