PM Awas Yojana: Centre approves 11.18 lakh houses for Bihar
Synopsis
The Centre has sanctioned over 11 lakh permanent homes for Bihar under PMAY — one of the largest state-level allocations under the scheme. With rural poor families as the primary target, the approval tests whether Bihar can convert a headline sanction into ground-level construction at scale.
Key Takeaways
The Centre approved 11,18,937 permanent houses for Bihar under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) on 20 August .
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary confirmed the decision and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan .
The allocation primarily targets families living in temporary or inadequate housing, with a focus on rural areas .
PMAY-U has been operational since 25 June 2015 , implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) .
The approval is part of a broader joint agenda covering housing, farmer welfare, sanitation, and rural infrastructure in Bihar.
The Centre has approved the construction of 11,18,937 permanent houses in Bihar under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), delivering a significant push to the state's affordable housing drive for economically weaker families. The decision was announced on 20 August, with both the state and central governments describing it as a landmark step toward ensuring dignified living conditions for Bihar's rural poor.
Key Developments
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary confirmed the approval and extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Choudhary said the sanction would bring 'new hope to lakhs of families currently living in temporary houses' and called it an important milestone in the government's commitment to providing permanent homes to poor families across the state.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also formally announced the allocation, reaffirming that the government remains committed to ensuring every poor family secures a permanent home. He described the 11,18,937-house allocation as a significant initiative specifically for Bihar.
Who Benefits and How
The approved houses are expected to benefit eligible families living in inadequate or temporary housing, with a particular focus on rural areas. The initiative is linked to broader government efforts to improve basic amenities — including clean drinking water, sanitation, and electricity — and to strengthen rural economic activity in the state.
Notably, this approval comes as part of a wider development agenda being pursued jointly by the Centre and the Bihar government, alongside infrastructure development and farmer welfare schemes.
PMAY Background and Scale
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) since 25 June 2015, with the objective of providing pucca houses with basic amenities to all eligible urban beneficiaries. According to officials, over the past 12 years, the government has launched several flagship initiatives targeting affordable housing and essential services for underserved and rural populations.
Bihar's latest sanction of more than 11 lakh houses is among the larger state-level allocations under the scheme, reflecting the scale of housing need in one of India's most populous states.
What Comes Next
With the approval now in place, construction activity is expected to be rolled out across eligible districts in Bihar. The state government is anticipated to coordinate with district administrations to identify and onboard beneficiaries. The pace of implementation will be closely watched, given that housing scheme disbursements in the past have sometimes lagged behind sanctions.
Point of View
And Bihar is no exception. The approval of over 11 lakh homes is politically significant ahead of the state's electoral cycle, but the real measure will be the completion rate and the speed of beneficiary identification. The linking of housing disbursements to broader rural amenity targets is the right structural instinct, but without transparent, district-level progress tracking, large sanction figures risk becoming a recurring headline with diminishing credibility.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many houses have been approved for Bihar under PM Awas Yojana?
The Centre has approved the construction of 11,18,937 permanent houses in Bihar under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The announcement was made on 20 August, with both Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan confirming the allocation.
Who will benefit from the PMAY housing approval in Bihar?
The approved houses are intended for economically weaker families currently living in temporary or inadequate housing, with a particular focus on rural populations in Bihar. Eligible beneficiaries will be identified and onboarded by district administrations in coordination with the state government.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)?
PMAY is a central government scheme aimed at providing pucca (permanent) houses with basic amenities to eligible families. The urban component, PMAY-U, has been implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) since 25 June 2015, targeting underserved and lower-income urban and rural populations.
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary say about the approval?
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the approval would bring new hope to lakhs of families living in temporary houses and described it as an important step toward fulfilling the goal of providing permanent homes to poor families in Bihar. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the sanction.
What happens after the housing approval is granted?
Following the sanction, the Bihar state government is expected to coordinate with district administrations to identify eligible beneficiaries and initiate construction. The pace of on-ground implementation will be a key metric, as housing scheme completions have historically lagged behind approved numbers across states.
