Has the Centre Really Handed Over 95.5 Lakh Houses to the Poor Under PM Awas Yojana?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 95.54 lakh houses distributed under PMAY.
- 2020 slum survey indicates significant urban poverty.
- States manage slum rehabilitation policies.
- DDA and DUSIB handle slum projects in Delhi.
- PMAY-U 2.0 aims to assist an additional 1 crore beneficiaries.
New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) The Centre has successfully distributed a remarkable 95.54 lakh houses to beneficiaries under two initiatives of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, as reported by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal in Parliament.
In response to questions in the Rajya Sabha during the question hour, the minister highlighted that a 2020 slum survey identified around 6.5 crore individuals, equivalent to 1.39 crore households, residing in slums nationwide.
He clarified that land and colonization are under the jurisdiction of the states, and policies regarding slum rehabilitation are managed by the respective states and Union Territories. Consequently, the ministry does not maintain data on slum rehabilitation or relocation.
In the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD), slum rehabilitation and demolitions are conducted by various land-owning agencies, including the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), in accordance with various pertinent Acts.
As part of its slum rehabilitation efforts, the DDA has conducted demolitions after adequately rehabilitating eligible slum dwellers. This process involves 5,158 households, with 3,414 deemed eligible for alternative rehabilitation according to DUSIB policy, the minister stated in a written response.
Eligible dwellers have been offered alternative housing equipped with modern amenities. Implementing agencies manage slum rehabilitation projects in line with their own land management strategies and the slum rehabilitation policies of the states and UTs.
During the slum rehabilitation and resettlement phases, land-owning and implementing agencies, along with affected families, can seek assistance through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) and PMAY-U 2.0, provided the beneficiaries meet the eligibility criteria, the minister emphasized.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been enhancing the efforts of states and UTs by offering central assistance under the PMAY-U since June 25, 2015, aimed at constructing homes for eligible families, including slum dwellers.
Furthermore, based on insights gained from implementing PMAY-U, MoHUA has updated the scheme and launched PMAY-U 2.0 'Housing for All' Mission effective from September 1, 2024, to support an additional 1 crore eligible beneficiaries in urban regions. PMAY-U 2.0 is carried out through four components: Beneficiary Led Construction, Affordable Housing in Partnership, Affordable Rental Housing, and Interest Subsidy Scheme.
Under both PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0, a substantial Rs 2.05 lakh crore has been approved as Central Assistance, with Rs 1.75 lakh crore already disbursed to states and UTs, and Rs 1.65 lakh crore utilized by them. While slum dwellers have benefited from all aspects of PMAY-U, a specific Rs 1,800 crore of Central Assistance has been allocated for the In-Situ Slum Redevelopment component.