Extension to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban

Context

The Union Cabinet approved an extension to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban up to December 31, 2024 so that the houses sanctioned under the scheme can be completed.

• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has a completion rate of 67.72%, whereas the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) scheme that started a year ahead is lagging behind with a 50% completion rate.
  
  

About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY- U: Housing for All – Urban)

• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Programme launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA), in Mission mode envisions provision of Housing for All by 2022, when the Nation completes 75 years of its Independence.
• The Mission seeks to address the housing requirement of urban poor including slum dwellers through following programme verticals-
• Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource.
• Promotion of Affordable Housing for weaker sections through credit linked subsidy.
• Affordable Housing in Partnership with Public & Private sectors.
• Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction /enhancement.
• The mission seeks to address the housing requirement of urban poor including slum dwellers. A slum is defined as a compact area of at least 300 people or about 60 – 70 households of poorly built congested tenements in an unhygienic environment usually with inadequate infrastructure and lacking in proper sanitary and drinking water facilities.
• Mission will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) except for the component of credit linked subsidy which will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme.
• Housing for All” Mission for urban areas is being implemented during 2015-2022 and this Mission will provide central assistance to implementing agencies through States and UTs for providing houses to all eligible families/beneficiaries by 2022.
  
  
  

Coverage area

• The Mission covers the entire urban area consisting of-
• Statutory Towns
• Notified Planning Areas
• Development Authorities
• Special Area Development Authorities
• Industrial Development Authorities
• Any such authority under State legislation which is entrusted with the functions of urban planning & regulations

Reasons for Delay in Both the Schemes

• The government officials blame the Covid-19 Pandemic for the slowdown in the PMAY-U.
• The completion rate for houses sanctioned before the Covid-19 pandemic stood around 80%.
• Six States account for 70% of the target units — West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• Out of them only two States — Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal — have a completion rate above the national average.
• Bihar has one of the lowest completion rates.
• In urban areas, issues such as a lack of clear titles and other land documents tend to crop up. This further slowed down the pace. The same is true for rural areas as well.