Our country is an agrarian economy and 70% of Indian population resides in rural area. Government is working towards the upliftment of the people living in rural areas. Various schemes have been implemented since independence to provide them resources for the development and growth of living standards. Rural Housing scheme is one of them. Rural population lacks in various resources and basic amenities and housing is one of the, Government aimed to provide shelter to every family by 2022. To achieve this goal Government launched Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural (PMAY-R).
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural
The world’s largest housing scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th November 2016 from Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The new scheme replaced and restructured the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), launched in 1985 by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Objective
The objective of the scheme is to build One Crore pucca houses in rural areas by 31st March 2019. The target is to achieve ‘Housing for All by 2022’. The houses will have all the basic facilities like toilets, LPG connection, Electricity connection, drinking water facility etc.
Key Highlights
- The scheme would be applicable to all rural areas of Indian except Delhi and Chandigarh.
- The total expenditure for the first three years of implementation from 2016 to 2019 will be Rs. 81975 Crore.
- Beneficiaries of the scheme will be selected based on Socio-Economic and Caste Census 2011 data. The list will be presented to Gram Sabha for validation of beneficiaries.
- A National Technical support agency at national advises and provide technical support in achieving target.
- The scheme is linked to MGNREGA by providing 90 days of labor to the beneficiary under MGNREGA. The aim is to skill 5 lakh rural masons by 2019.
- Cost of assistance is shared between Centre and State government in the ratio of 60:40 in the plain areas and 90:10 for hilly regions.
- Additional financial support of Rs 21975 crore will be provided by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
- The design of houses is according to the climate of that region. It also has dedicated area for hygiene cooking.
- Beneficiaries will be eligible for a loan upto Rs.70,000 for construction.
- Ministry of Rural development has created Performance Development Index to check progress of program.
- The scheme uses space technology and IT platforms to monitor the construction of houses and transfer of funds.
- The scheme will promote health benefits and improve nutrition, sanitation practices, maternal and child health.
Union cabinet in 2015 approved a mission to provide housing for all by 2022. Pradhan Mantri Awas yojana has two parts – (1) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban and (2) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural. Government is working towards providing shelter to poor people of the country. The scheme targets Women, Scheduled caste, Scheduled tribes, Economically weaker sections etc.