Centre approves another 1.47 lakh urban houses for poor under PMAY 2.0

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has approved an additional 1.47 lakh pucca houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0 in 14 states and UTs as part of the Centre's 'Housing for All' policy, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The total houses approved are 1,46,582 across 14 states and UTs -- Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. With this approval, the total number of houses sanctioned under PMAY-U 2.0 is now 8.56 lakh, the statement said.

The decision was taken during the fourth meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Srinivas Katikithala.

The sanctioned houses will cater to the housing needs of the urban poor, helping them gain access to affordable and dignified pucca houses with basic amenities, the statement said.

Addressing the meeting, Katikithala urged the states and UTs to emphasise aligning housing projects with infrastructure corridors to promote integrated urban development. "States/UTs should strategically plan and locate housing projects in areas that have enhanced connectivity, economic activity and better access to services," he said.

The JS&MD, HFA apprised the Secretary about the status of implementation of PMAY-U 2.0 and said that the larger states, particularly metro cities, should bring proposals to the committee CSMC with a focus on affordable housing in partnership (AHP) vertical of the scheme under which group housing projects are constructed.

Under the schemes, more than 120 lakh houses have been sanctioned, of which 93.81 lakh pucca houses have already been constructed and delivered to the beneficiaries. Aligning with the goal of ‘Housing for All’, the scheme was revamped and launched as PMAY-U 2.0 in September 2024. One crore additional urban families will receive financial support of up to Rs 2.50 lakh from the government to construct or purchase a pucca house in cities. Families belonging to the economically weaker sections, lower-income groups and middle-income groups who do not own a pucca house anywhere in the country are eligible for benefits under PMAY-U 2.0.

Among the key highlights of the meeting is the focus on women's empowerment and building a more inclusive and equitable society. About 75,417 houses have been sanctioned for women alone, including single women and widows, reaffirming the government’s commitment to empowering women with access to a safe and dignified living. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh has sanctioned 1,166 houses for senior citizens.

Furthermore, 12 houses have been allotted to transgenders. Among the different underprivileged groups - 32,551 houses were allotted in the name of SC beneficiaries, 5,025 houses for ST beneficiaries, and 58,375 for the OBC.

Eligible individuals can apply for the Scheme directly through https://pmay-urban.gov.in/ or contact their ULB for assistance.

--IANS

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