Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), previously Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), is a social welfare flagship programme, created by the Indian Government, to provide housing for the rural poor in India A similar scheme for urban poor was launched in 2015 as Housing for All by 2022. Indira Awaas Yojana was launched in 1985 by Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, as one of the major flagship programs of the Ministry of Rural Development to construct houses for BPL population in the villages.

Overview

Under the PMGAY scheme, financial assistance worth ₹120,000 (US$1,700) in plain areas and ₹130,000 (US$1,800) in difficult areas (high land area) is provided for construction of houses. These houses are equipped with facilities such as toilet, LPG connection, electricity connection, and drinking water [convergence with other schemes e.g. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan toilets, Ujjwala Yojana LPG gas connection, Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection, etc.].[4] The houses are allotted in the name of the woman or jointly between husband and wife. The construction of the houses is the sole responsibility of the beneficiary and engagement of contractors is strictly prohibited. Sanitary latrine and smokeless chullah are required to be constructed along with each IAY house for which additional financial assistance is provided from "Total Sanitation Campaign" and "Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana" ( Which is now subsumed by Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana ) respectively. This scheme, operating since 1985, provides subsidies and cash-assistance to people in villages to construct their houses, themselves.

Purpose

The broad purpose of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to some of the weakest sections of society for them to upgrade or construct a house of respectable quality for their personal living.[8] The vision of the government is to replace all temporary (kutchcha) houses from Indian villages by 2017.

Implementation

The funds are allocated to the states based on 75% weightage of rural housing shortage and 25% weightage of poverty ratio. The housing shortage is as per the official published figures of Registrar General of India based on the 2001 Census.
A software called "AWAAS Soft" was launched in July 2010 to assist in improved administration of this scheme.

Current provisions

As per the 2011 budget, the total funds allocated for IAY have been set at ₹100 billion (US$1.4 billion) for construction of houses for BPL families with special focus on the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) districts.
Under the scheme, eligible people will get a financial assistance from government amounting to ₹1.2 lakh (US$1,700) for constructing their houses in rural areas and an amount of ₹12,000 (US$170) for constructing toilets.[citation needed] They can also borrow an amount of ₹70,000 (US$980).[10] After current provision of PMGAY people should apply online.

Impact

Since 1985, 25.2 million houses have been constructed under the scheme. Under the Bharat Nirman Phase 1 project, 6 million houses were targeted and 7.1 million actually constructed from 2005–06 to 2008–09. Additional, 12 million houses are planned to be constructed or renovated under the Bharat Nirman Phase 2. According to the official 2001 figures, the total rural housing shortage was 14.825 million houses.

Courtesy:-wikipedia