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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. Technological Interventions:
    • Awas Plus-2024 App: Streamlines beneficiary identification.
    • Awas Sakhi App: Enhances transparency and monitoring of implementation.
  5. 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.

AdvantagesChallenges
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

  1. Focus on Timely Implementation: Streamline administrative processes and improve inter-departmental coordination to ensure timely delivery of houses.
  2. Dynamic Data Updation: Periodically update beneficiary data to include recently deprived households and improve accuracy.
  3. Capacity Building: Train local officials and workers in rural areas to enhance efficiency in scheme implementation.
  4. 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.
  5. Public Awareness Campaigns: Educate rural households about the scheme’s benefits and eligibility to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left out.
  6. 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.

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