Proposals For Construction Of 3.61 Lakh Houses In Urban Areas Approved

In a major boost to the government's Housing for All initiative, the Centre has approved 708 proposals for construction of 3.61 lakh houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U).

The decision was taken at the 54th Meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) under PMAY-U held here recently.

The meeting was attended by 13 States/UTs. These houses are proposed to be constructed across Beneficiary Led Construction and Affordable Housing in Partnership verticals.

In addition, ‘PMAY- U Awards 2021 - 100 Days Challenge’ was also launched by Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra.

The awards are given to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution and performances by States, Union Territories (UTs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and beneficiaries for successful implementation of the Mission and create a healthy competition.

This was the first CSMC meeting during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic and reflects the importance the government has attached to the objective of providing pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries of Urban India by 2022 with the vision of ‘Housing for All’.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has laid renewed emphasis to accelerate housing construction and completion across the country within stipulated time under PMAY(U).

“The demand for sanction has saturated all States/UTs. Utilisation of unused funds and ensuring completion of the projects within stipulated time is our prime focus now,” said Mishra at the meeting.

The States/UTs also put in their proposals for revision of projects due to various issues such as, of land, topographical hazards, inter-city migration, change of preferences of verticals, loss of lives etc.

Total investment under the Mission is Rs 7.35 lakh crore which has Central assistance of Rs 1.81. lakh crore of which Rs 96,067 crore of funds have been released.

Addressing the participating States/UTs, Secretary, MoHUA laid emphasis on Six Light House Projects (LHPs), the foundation stones of which were laid by the Prime Minister in January, 2021.

The LHPs are being constructed at Agartala, Chennai, Lucknow, Ranchi, Rajkot and Indore.

“These LHPs should galvanise all concerned departments involved in construction. Use of cutting edge technology should be replicated and scaled up,” Mishra said.

An E-Module on Technograhi comprising learning tools on innovative construction technologies shortlisted under Global Housing Technology Challenge – India and being used in six LHPs was also launched at the event.

It is a step towards building capacities of stakeholders in the area of innovative construction technologies.

The Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary also inaugurated a newly constructed Demonstration Housing Project in Panchkula, Haryana, which will be used as a working women's hostel on rental basis.

Under the Technology sub mission of PMAY-U, six Demonstration Housing Projects (DHPs) have been completed so far and seven are being constructed in different parts of the country.

DHPs are model housing projects built with new/alternative technology that not only showcase field level application of the technology but are also used as a platform to impart on-site orientation and training to practitioners and students in the housing sector on the application and use of such technology.