Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0), the Central Government has approved the construction of more than 3.53 lakh new houses. These houses were approved in a meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) and are spread across 10 states and union territories. The scheme gives priority to women empowerment, with 2.67 lakh houses being approved in the name of women. Additionally, the scheme also provides special benefits to other deprived sections of society.

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced extra financial assistance for senior citizens, widows, and unmarried women. PMAY-U 2.0 aims to provide homes for 1 crore urban poor over the next five years as part of the ‘Housing for All’ mission. Let’s take a closer look at the details of this news.

Priority to Women and Disadvantaged Sections

Out of the 3,52,915 houses sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0), 2.67 lakh houses have been allotted to women, including widows and single women. Additionally, 90 houses have been sanctioned for the transgender community. Beneficiaries also include 80,850 individuals from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, 15,928 from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, and 2,12,603 people from Other Backward Classes (OBC).

The scheme aims to reduce residential inequality by extending its benefits to every section of society.

Special Assistance by the Uttar Pradesh Government

The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced extra financial support for senior citizens and women under PMAY-U 2.0. Senior citizens above 70 years of age will receive additional financial aid of ₹30,000, while unmarried women above 40 years, widows, and separated women will get ₹20,000.

This initiative seeks to empower weaker sections of society and make them self-reliant.

Easy Implementation and Beneficiary Convenience

To ensure the smooth implementation of PMAY-U 2.0, the Central Government has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 31 states and union territories. Over 200 primary lending institutions have also partnered with the government to make loans accessible to beneficiaries.

A dedicated web portal has been developed to simplify the application process. Interested individuals can apply for the scheme online via this portal.

Achievements Over the Last 10 Years

Since its launch in June 2015, PMAY-Urban has approved the construction of 118.64 lakh houses. Out of these, 92 lakh houses have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries. The scheme primarily aims to provide affordable housing for urban poor and middle-class families.

Key Components of PMAY-U 2.0

The scheme is implemented through four main verticals:

  • Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC): Financial assistance is provided to eligible beneficiaries to build houses on their plots.
  • Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP): Affordable housing projects are developed in collaboration with private developers and government agencies.
  • Affordable Rental Housing (ARH): Rental homes are offered to migrant workers and low-income individuals.
  • Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS): Subsidized interest rates on home loans help beneficiaries purchase houses.

Financial Provisions for the Scheme

The government has allocated a total investment of ₹10 lakh crore for PMAY-U 2.0, out of which ₹2.30 lakh crore will be direct government assistance. Each housing unit will receive ₹2.50 lakh in financial aid from the central government. Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Low-Income Groups (LIG), and Middle-Income Groups (MIG) will benefit from this scheme.

Special Focus on Disadvantaged Communities

PMAY-U 2.0 aims to provide affordable housing for disadvantaged communities, including slum dwellers, Scheduled Castes/Tribes, minorities, widows, persons with disabilities, and others.

Additionally, priority will be given to sanitation workers, street vendors identified under the PM Street Vendor Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PMSVA Nidhi) scheme, artisans under the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana, Anganwadi workers, and construction laborers.

Mission ‘Housing for All’

Starting from September 1, 2024, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a mission to provide affordable housing to 1 crore additional urban poor. The government aims to build these homes over the next five years to improve living standards for the urban poor.