Housing for the poor and urban development is one of key areas of focus in Budget 2008-09 with urban development accounting for about 13% of the total Budget outlay. The finance minister proposed a plan outlay of Rs 1487 crore for housing and UD for the coming financial year. Finance minister AK Walia pointed that an outlay of Rs 743 crore has been proposed for taking up developmental works and sanitation in unauthorised colonies. Walia highlighted the government's initiative to build one lakh low-cost houses with central assistance under JNNURM in the first phase of the scheme called Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna. He said the state has already released Rs 160 crore in the current fiscal for construction of EWS houses. TNN