Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)

Context

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the continuation and implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) for the period FY 2024-25 to 2028-29. This decision aims to provide financial assistance for the construction of two crore additional houses across rural India.

Relevance:
GS-02 (Government policies and intervention)

Key Highlights

• Scheme Continuation: PMAY-G will continue from April 2024 to March 2029 to cover the Awaas+ (2018) list and remaining eligible households from the SECC 2011 Permanent Wait List (PWL).
• Financial Outlay: The total outlay for this phase is Rs. 3,06,137 crore, with Rs. 2,05,856 crore as the Central share and Rs. 1,00,281 crore as the State matching share.
• Unit Assistance: Financial assistance remains at Rs. 1.20 lakh per unit in plain areas and Rs. 1.30 lakh in North Eastern Region States, Hill States, and Union Territories like Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Administrative Costs: 2% of the programme funds are allocated for administrative expenses, with 1.70% for States/UTs and 0.30% retained at the Central level.
• Completion of Previous Phase: Houses not completed by 31st March 2024 will be finished under this phase.

Significance

• Housing for All: The construction of two crore new houses is expected to benefit nearly 10 crore individuals, significantly advancing the “Housing for All” mission in rural India.
• Improved Living Conditions: This initiative will enable houseless and those living in dilapidated structures to build safe, secure, and high-quality homes with essential amenities, enhancing safety, hygiene, and social inclusiveness.
• Target Achievement: The remaining 35 lakh houses from the previous phase will be completed, contributing to the cumulative target of 2.95 crore houses by March 2024.

About Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)

• Launched in April 2016, PMAY-G aims to provide “Housing for All” in rural areas by constructing 2.95 crore pucca houses with basic amenities by March 2024.
• The scheme focuses on addressing the housing needs of rural India through phased construction and financial assistance, ensuring safe and sustainable housing for the rural population.

Salient Features of PMAY-G:

• Increased House Size: The minimum house size has been expanded from 20 sq. mt. to 25 sq. mt., including a hygienic cooking space.
• Enhanced Financial Assistance:
  • For plain areas, unit assistance has been increased from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh, shared between the Central and State Governments in a 60:40 ratio.
  • For North Eastern and Himalayan States, assistance has risen from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.30 lakh, with a 90:10 funding ratio between the Central and State Governments.
• Toilet Construction: Assistance for building toilets will be integrated through convergence with schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), or other dedicated funding sources.
• Utility Convergence: Efforts will be made to integrate various government programs to provide additional services like piped drinking water, electricity connections, and LPG gas connections.

Unique Aspects of PMAY-G:

• Beneficiary Selection: Unlike previous schemes that selected beneficiaries solely from BPL households, PMAY-G uses housing deprivation parameters from the SECC 2011 data, verified by Gram Sabhas, to identify eligible households.
• Quality Assurance: The scheme includes the establishment of a National Technical Support Agency (NTSA) to enhance the quality of construction at the national level.
• Mason Training: A nationwide training and certification program for masons has been launched to ensure skilled labor is available in States/UTs.
• E-Governance Model: PMAY-G is implemented and monitored through an end-to-end e-Governance system using AwaasSoft and Awaas App, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
• Community and Parliamentary Oversight: The program’s implementation is monitored through community participation, including Social Audits, and by Members of Parliament through the DISHA Committee.