New Delhi: The central government has approved a scheme to build 1.877 million houses for the urban poor.
The ninth meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee was held in New Delhi on Thursday (Sept. 10), chaired by Satendra Singh, Secretary of the Urban Development Department in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The meeting was attended by Kumar Ravikant Singh, Joint Secretary and Mission Director of the 'Housing for All' scheme, Sanjeet, Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, senior officials of the ministry, and Mission Directors from the participating states.
Speaking to state representatives, Singh said that coordinated efforts should be made to implement and monitor the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 2.0 scheme in a timely and effective manner so that the benefits of the scheme reach all eligible beneficiaries. He also stressed that any obstacles should be resolved immediately in consultation with the states and Union Territories.
At the meeting, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in line with progress toward the goal of 'Housing for All' in urban areas and to further accelerate the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 2.0, the Central Government has approved a total of 18 lakh 77 thousand houses under this scheme. Of the 18.77 lakh houses approved, 17.19 lakh houses (92%) have been allocated to women.
Additionally, approval has been granted for about 29,000 more houses under the categories of 'beneficiary-led construction' and 'affordable housing in partnership' for six states: Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.
Furthermore, to ensure inclusive development and extend the benefits of the scheme to the vulnerable sections of society, 1.80 lakh houses have been allocated for the elderly. 3.25 lakh houses have been allocated for Scheduled Caste (SC) beneficiaries, 1.02 lakh houses for Scheduled Tribe (ST) beneficiaries, and 8.22 lakh houses for Other Backward Classes (OBC) beneficiaries.
Overall, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0, more than 1.25 crore houses have been approved, and more than 1 crore houses have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries.
This scheme has placed great emphasis on giving priority to women in home ownership. Houses approved under this scheme are registered in the name of the female member of the household or in joint ownership; this strengthens women’s economic and social status within the family.
As the total number of houses provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 2.0 scheme is now nearing the milestone of 2 million, the government continues to work to ensure that every eligible urban poor family has a home of its own. Every house allotted represents a family moving toward a safe, secure, and dignified future.
These approvals mark an important milestone toward the goal of 'Housing for All'; they enable urban families to own a safe home and move toward a better quality of life and a secure future.
