With a view to address the concerns of real estate sector, the Union Government is holding discussions with various ministries on the need for single window clearance and also about giving the infrastructure status to the real estate and housing sector, Union Urban Development and Housing Minister, M Venkaiah Naidu said at an Assocham event held in New Delhi.

"I am already holding discussions with the Finance Minister, I am trying to impress upon them that housing should be priority sector lending for banks, the finance ministry is positive, I have to still take it forward," said Naidu while inaugurating the 7th Real Estate Summit organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

"We don't want a tag of infrastructure but a bag of support from banks i.e. the priority lending for the housing sector, we need more resources because housing for all by 2022 is a big challenge unless government along with state governments, urban local bodies and private institutions participate in a big way, we'll not be able to reach this ambitious goal," added Naidu.

The Union Minister further said that in the new scheme of housing for all there is going to be an important thing of interest subvention for affordable housing. "We have to see that interest subvention is also provided to lower and middle income group so that housing will become affordable to them, I am very clear about it, it is coming," said Naidu.

With regard to environment clearances which are one of the reason for long delays in projects, the Union Minister said that once the urban development authority plan is approved, there will not be the need for individuals to go for clearance for each and every project.

"It is a good suggestion, we'll consider it positively and I'll hold discussion with my other colleague as well," said Naidu. The Union Minister also said that the Government will introduce the Real Estate (Development and Regulation) Bill in the next session of Parliament i.e. as and when the Parliament meets in November or December.

"We are proposing to bring the bill in this next session, I already had discussions and consultations with various stakeholders including consumer forums and also various ministries have addressed and given their responses and we had one round of discussion with real estate sector, I'll be holding the final round of discussion with them and then preparing the bill and then taken it to Parliament," he said.

Smart cities' concept has been discussed with various stakeholders and I've taken the views of the state governments also, then I had interaction with members from private sector who are interested in this. It is a time consuming process.

Talking about the smart cities' concept, the Union Minister said, "We are in the advanced stage of finalization of the concept and I hope to take it to the Cabinet by November and then start identifying the cities in consultation with states from January onwards then you have to first go and identify the city, then city municipal body has to approve the reforms agenda that they are willing to participate in the smart city concept and the state governments also must stand by them and then we have to prepare a detailed project report and then move forward."

He said that smart cities cannot be constructed overnight. "There is a lot of enthusiasm and demand, smart cities are flavour of the season but I am afraid people are expecting things to happen overnight, the process is on and we are advanced stage of finalization of smart city concept."

Conceding that Delhi is heavily congested, the Union Minister said that the Government will conduct a study on how to unclog Delhi. "I have appointed a high level committee with my Secretary, Urban Development as the chairman to study the issue of unclogging Delhi because Delhi is heavily congested."

He further said that apart from the Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, people from railways, defence and national highway and Delhi government will sit together and they have been asked to give a report within 45 days about ways and means of unclogging Delhi.