Context: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has accused the government of failing to identify “genuine beneficiaries” for its flagship rural housing scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)
- Launched on April 1, 2016, by restructuring the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY).
- Aim: Provide "Housing for All" in rural areas by March 2029.
- Implemented by: Ministry of Rural Development
- Financial assistance is provided for constructing pucca houses with basic amenities for the rural poor.
- Key Objectives:
- Provide permanent housing to eligible rural households.
- Address housing deprivation identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
- Ensure basic facilities such as electricity, sanitation, and clean drinking water.
- Promote women empowerment by mandating joint ownership in house allotment.
- Funding:
- 60:40 ratio between the Centre and States: for Plains.
- 90:10 ratio for Northeast, Himalayan States, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- 100% centrally funded for Union Territories.
- Financial Assistance to Beneficiaries:
- ₹1.2 lakh per unit in plains.
- ₹1.3 lakh per unit in hilly and difficult areas.
- Beneficiary selection based on SECC 2011 data, verified through Gram Sabha. It Includes:
- SCs/STs and freed bonded labourers.
- Non-SC/ST BPL families.
- Widows and next-of-kin of defence personnel killed in action.
- Ex-servicemen, paramilitary forces, disabled persons, and minorities.
- Progress and Targets:
- Target (2016-2029): 4.95 crore houses.
- As of February 2, 2025:
- Target allotted: 3.79 crore houses.
- Houses sanctioned: 3.34 crore.
- Houses completed: 2.69 crore.
- Additional 2 crore houses approved for construction during 2024-29.
Monitoring and Transparency Measures:
- AwaasSoft platform: Tracks progress through geo-tagged, time-stamped photographs.
- Regular inspections: Conducted at block, district, and national levels.
- Social audits: Annual audits at Gram Panchayat level.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Ensures funds go directly to beneficiary bank accounts.
- Performance Index Dashboard: Monitors implementation and progress.
- Grievance redressal mechanisms: Complaints can be lodged via CPGRAMS, IGRS, and CM helplines.
Challenges highlighted by Standing Committee on Rural Development:
- Outdated beneficiary data: PMAY-G still relies on SECC 2011, leading to exclusion of genuine beneficiaries and inclusion of ineligible categories.
- Financial assistance has not increased despite rising construction costs.
- Issue of backlogs: Scheme extension mainly covers previous backlog rather than new allocations.
Way Forward
Recommendations by Standing Committee on Rural Development
- Update beneficiary data: Conduct a comprehensive review to include newly emerging needy households.
- Expand eligibility: Include semi-permanent structure owners.
- Increase per-unit assistance to ₹4 lakh, considering rising construction costs and inflation.
- Addressing backlog and fresh allocations: Increase total houses planned under extended PMAY-G to 3.46 crore (1.46 crore backlog + 2 crore fresh allocations).