Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched in 2016 to provide “Housing for All” in rural areas by ensuring affordable, quality housing for the rural poor. Beneficiaries are selected using Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data, approved through Gram Sabhas and verified via geo-tagging.
Relevance with UPSC Syllabus
- GS-II (Governance & Welfare Schemes): Role of government initiatives in promoting social justice and improving the living standards of marginalized communities.
- GS-III (Economic Development): Rural development, inclusive growth, and poverty alleviation.
- Essay Topics: Housing for All, Poverty Alleviation through Developmental Initiatives.
Key Facts About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin PMAY-G
- Benefits Provided under:
- Financial Assistance:
- ₹1.20 lakh for houses in plain areas.
- ₹1.30 lakh for houses in Hill States (Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), the North-Eastern Region, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- Cost Sharing:
- 60:40 (Centre: State) in plain areas.
- 90:10 in northeastern and Himalayan states.
- 100% Centre-funded for Ladakh.
- Toilet Support: ₹12,000 under Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) for constructing toilets.
- Cooking Fuel: LPG connections provided in convergence with Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
- Employment Support: 90-95 person-days of unskilled labor under MGNREGA for house construction.
- Financial Assistance:
- Targeted Beneficiaries:
- 60% earmarked for SC/ST households.
- As of November 2024, 59.58 lakh SC and 58.57 lakh ST houses have been completed.
- Achievements:
- 3.21 crore houses sanctioned.
- 2.67 crore houses completed by November 2024.
- 4.19 lakh houses completed between June and December 2024, including 71,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).
- Technological Interventions:
- Awas Plus-2024 App: Streamlines beneficiary identification.
- Awas Sakhi App: Enhances transparency and monitoring of implementation.
- Extension:
- Initially targeting 2.95 crore houses by 2023-24, the scheme has been extended to construct 2 crore additional houses with a financial outlay of ₹3,06,137 crore for FY 2024-29.
Advantages and Challenges
Advantages | Challenges |
---|---|
Ensures safe, affordable housing for rural poor, enhancing dignity and quality of life. | Delay in implementation due to administrative bottlenecks and inter-departmental coordination. |
Promotes social equity by prioritizing SC/ST households and marginalized sections. | Insufficient funding for quality housing and infrastructure in some areas. |
Boosts rural employment through convergence with MGNREGA. | Exclusion errors due to reliance on outdated SECC 2011 data. |
Improves sanitation and health through SBM-G and access to LPG. | Challenges in monitoring and transparency, especially in remote areas. |
Incorporates technology for real-time beneficiary tracking and reduced fraud. | Technological challenges such as lack of digital literacy or network access in rural areas. |
Way Forward
- Focus on Timely Implementation: Streamline administrative processes and improve inter-departmental coordination to ensure timely delivery of houses.
- Dynamic Data Updation: Periodically update beneficiary data to include recently deprived households and improve accuracy.
- Capacity Building: Train local officials and workers in rural areas to enhance efficiency in scheme implementation.
- Monitoring and Transparency:
- Expand the use of mobile applications like Awas Sakhi App for real-time tracking.
- Involve community-based monitoring mechanisms to improve accountability.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Educate rural households about the scheme’s benefits and eligibility to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left out.
- Strengthen Convergence:
- Integrate PMAY-G with other schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and Saubhagya to create holistic rural development.
- Collaborate with state governments to address region-specific housing challenges.
By intensifying efforts under PMAY-G, India can progress toward poverty-free villages and ensure inclusive, sustainable development in rural areas.