Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (PMAY-G) is a flagship initiative by the Government of India aimed at providing affordable housing to the rural poor. Launched on April 1, 2016, this scheme seeks to ensure "Housing for All" by the year 2028.

 Background

The roots of PMAY-G trace back to the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), introduced in 1985 by then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. IAY was a major program under the Ministry of Rural Development, focusing on constructing houses for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) population in rural areas. In 2015, the scheme was restructured and rebranded as Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana to address the evolving needs of rural housing.

 Objectives

The primary goal of PMAY-G is to provide financial assistance to the weaker sections of society, enabling them to construct or upgrade houses of respectable quality for personal living. The government's vision includes replacing all temporary (kutcha) houses in Indian villages with permanent (pucca) houses by 2028.

 Financial Assistance

Under PMAY-G, the central government provides financial aid to eligible beneficiaries for constructing pucca houses. As of 2020, the assistance amounts were set at ₹1,20,000 for building houses on flat land and ₹1,30,000 for construction in hilly areas. These amounts are subject to periodic revisions to accommodate inflation and changing economic conditions.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for PMAY-G is determined based on data from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011. The scheme targets households living in zero, one, or two-room kutcha houses with kutcha roofs. Additionally, households without any shelter, destitute individuals living on alms, manual scavengers, primitive tribal groups, and legally released bonded laborers are included. The final list of beneficiaries is confirmed by Gram Sabhas and Panchayat levels, ensuring community participation and transparency.

 

Exclusion Criteria

Certain households are excluded from PMAY-G benefits if they meet any of the following criteria:

• Ownership of a three or four-wheeler or motorized boat.
• Possession of mechanized agricultural equipment.
• Kisan Credit Card holders with a credit limit of ₹50,000 or more.
• Households with any government employee.
• Families with a member earning more than ₹15,000 per month.
• Income tax or professional tax payers.
• Owners of landline phones or refrigerators.
• Landholders with more than 2.5 acres of irrigated land or 5 acres of irrigated land for two or more crop seasons.
• Households owning a total of 7.5 acres or more of land, whether irrigated or non-irrigated.

These exclusion parameters ensure that the benefits reach the most deserving sections of society.

 

Implementation and Monitoring

The implementation of PMAY-G involves a multi-tiered approach:

1. Fund Allocation: Funds are allocated to states based on 75% weightage of rural housing shortage and 25% weightage of poverty ratio. This ensures that resources are directed to areas with the most need.

    

2. Beneficiary Selection: The selection process is transparent, relying on SECC data and community validation through Gram Sabhas. This participatory approach helps in accurately identifying eligible beneficiaries.

    Financial Disbursement: Financial assistance is provided in installments directly to the beneficiaries' bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. This minimizes leakages and ensures timely fund transfer.

3.  Construction and Supervision: Beneficiaries are responsible for constructing their houses, promoting a sense of ownership. The use of local materials and eco-friendly technologies is encouraged. Technical assistance and supervision are provided by local authorities to maintain construction quality.

4.  Convergence with Other Schemes

PMAY-G is designed to work in synergy with other government schemes to provide comprehensive amenities to beneficiaries:

• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Ensures the construction of sanitary latrines in each house.

• Ujjwala Yojana: Provides LPG gas connections for clean cooking.

• Saubhagya Yojana: Facilitates electricity connections to households.

• Jal Jeevan Mission: Aims to provide drinking water to every rural household.