Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday, 12 July 2026, performed the bhoomipujan (ground-breaking) and cornerstone unveiling for two housing projects in Nagpur — the 'Maharshi Sudarshan Valmiki Vasahat' colony for municipal sanitation workers and the 'Swapnapurti' residential units under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) 2.0 (Urban)'s Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) vertical. The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra announced the event through its official X account.

Context

The twin projects mark a significant step in the Maharashtra government's commitment to housing its most underserved civic workforce. The Maharshi Sudarshan Valmiki Vasahat is designed exclusively for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) sanitation workers, while 'Swapnapurti' targets the urban poor through the central government's flagship PMAY 2.0 framework.

Speaking at the ceremony, CM Fadnavis recalled the origins of the state's commitment: '2019 मध्ये मी मुख्यमंत्री असताना... मोफत सदनिका देण्याचा निर्णय घेतला होता' ('When I was Chief Minister in 2019, I had decided to provide free flats to sanitation workers in the state'). He noted that a subsequent government had reversed that decision by making the units chargeable, but that his administration restored the original Government Resolution (GR) upon returning to power.

Policy Backdrop

The free-housing commitment for sanitation workers traces back to the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Shram Safalya Awas Yojana, announced in 2019 under Fadnavis's earlier term. The scheme was intended to provide pucca (permanent) homes at no cost to eligible safai karmacharis — sanitation workers who form the backbone of urban cleanliness but have historically lacked secure housing.

The reinstatement of the original GR means eligible sanitation workers will again receive units free of charge. Alongside this state scheme, the PMAY 2.0 (Urban) AHP vertical — a continuation of the national Housing for All mission first launched in 2015 — provides central funding support for affordable housing partnerships between states and urban local bodies.

CM Fadnavis emphasised that the new colony would include solar energy, clean drinking water, and all essential amenities, calling it a model residential settlement. He reiterated the administration's resolve to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Housing for All'.

Stakeholders and Impact

The immediate beneficiaries are NMC sanitation workers and their families, a community that performs essential urban services yet has long lacked dignified housing. The PMAY 2.0 'Swapnapurti' component broadens the reach to the general urban poor across Nagpur.

CM Fadnavis announced that the PMAY 2.0 scheme would be extended to every assembly constituency in Nagpur in the coming period, ensuring wider geographic coverage. The event was attended by Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, Minister of State Adv. Ashish Jaiswal, Nagpur Mayor Neeta Thakre, Deputy Mayor Leela Hathibed, Standing Committee Chairperson Shivani Dani-Wakhre, and Maharashtra Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman Shersingh (Satish) Dagor, alongside other dignitaries.

What's Next

The ground-breaking sets the clock ticking on actual construction of the Maharshi Sudarshan Valmiki Vasahat colony. The government has committed that no amenity will be lacking in the settlement, with solar power and potable water supply specifically flagged as priorities.

Parallel rollout of PMAY 2.0 AHP 'Swapnapurti' units across Nagpur's remaining assembly segments will be a key metric to watch. Broader implementation of the reinstated GR for sanitation workers across Maharashtra — beyond Nagpur — will determine the true scale of the policy's impact on the state's safai karmachari community.