Taking the argument for inclusive growth a step forward, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday said new housing schemes in urban areas should include accommodation arrangements for service providers like domestic helps, electricians and plumbers.

“The poor must not be pushed out of city limits. Builders should be able to provide accommodation to service providers and weaker sections in the city,” Reddy said. “This will ensure that the commuting time for these service providers on public transport is reduced. In other words, the number of their unproductive hours will be reduced,” he said.

The Minister released a report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has predicted that more than half of the world’s population would be living in urban areas by next year.

Calling urbanisation “eminently desirable” and “a liberating process”, Reddy said to ease pressure on towns and cities, it is not necessary to evict migrants. Instead, better land utilisation and, if necessary, “going vertical” are the needs of the hour.

“Urbanisation without building external infrastructure like sewage, access, etc. is not good. In fact, state governments should make laws that compel builders to ensure that proper infrastructure is in place,” he said.

Reddy also talked about a proposal to establish a regulating authority to ensure that buyers of private apartments in Delhi are not cheated.