Ten years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration are coming to a conclusion. The Lok Sabha elections will be announced within two weeks. PM Modi has become the fourth prime minister with a decade-long term. Hence it is imperative to assess his work. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is one of the most prominent programs that the prime minister has mentioned regularly in his speeches, according to analysis.
One of the most basic necessities of all people is a house, residence, dwelling or whatever one might choose to call it. The first house is believed to have been constructed around 72,000 years ago. Afterwards, many developments transpired and house construction methods also evolved. Almost 67 years have passed since our nation gained its independence in 1947, yet a sizable portion of the populace still lacked a secure roof over their heads. The nation became synonymous with thatched and straw houses.
Numerous programs were implemented in the interim, but a vast number of the citizens were unable to acquire even one house. The nation was not advanced to the point where people could construct their places and like all other sectors, the government lagged in this second as well. However, over the last few years, the situation has dramatically shifted. The ramshackle and shabby houses that formerly people even hesitated to step in disappeared from those regions of the country’s towns and cities. Brick homes have replaced the thatched roofs and the shoddy houses. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana plays the most significant part in this.
Cityscapes were transformed by the PM Awas Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has two different kinds of schemes. One initiative is for the construction of homes in cities, while the other is for the removal of rudimentary dwellings from villages. In June 2015, the PM Awas Yojana (Urban) was introduced.
Its goal was to replace the substandard places constructed in the city’s slums and other places with concrete structures. The government started a program in metropolitan areas where the poorer segments of the population would receive Rs 2.5 lakh to build concrete houses. Under this, the beneficiary works with the government to prepare a home on his property. Some recipients obtain easy loans from the government.
According to a dashboard outlining the program, 1.18 crore houses have been cleared for building nationwide since June 2015 by the authorities. Among these, foundations of 1.14 crore have already been laid. The country’s urban areas have 80.35 lakh furnished homes. 34 lakh houses are undergoing various phases of construction at present.
The Modi administration has invested Rs 1.56 lakh crore to guarantee that every house in India’s urban areas is completely developed. The beneficiary receives the money directly into their account. The centre has declared that it will now contribute Rs 50,000 crore under the project to reach the goal of permanent houses. Furthermore, the central administration has extended this program until December 2025 to house all of India’s homeless people.
Sunita, who lives in a town panchayat in the Uttar Pradesh district of Lakhimpur Kheri has been given a house under the program. She sells flowers outside a temple. Sunita stated that her income was insufficient to build a house. “Until seven years ago, half of the house was unroofed and the other half was plastered. The lack of a sturdy roof caused a lot of problems in the rain. It also meant enduring the sun and the cold. Additionally, there was no electricity connection,” she recounted explaining the circumstances before receiving the benefits of the program.
She has been granted accommodation through this scheme. She has constructed a concrete home and demolished their primitive abode. This house was built by Sunita and her family using savings as well as implying their efforts. Sunita now resides in a permanent house. There are two rooms in it. The fact that the house is permanent has allowed them to take advantage of many more programs.
Houses with temporary roofs removed from hamlets
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) scheme was launched in 2016, a year after the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in cities. It aimed to eliminate crude houses even from the remote areas of the country and provide permanent housing to all. The government decided to carry out this program by providing Rs 1.20 lakh per household to the inhabitants of the nation’s villages. However, the amount is slightly higher in hilly regions. Technology was also used by the government for this purpose. The locations of houses were geotagged.
The country’s rural areas have received approval for 2.94 crore residences under this program as of now. Out of these, 2.57 crore houses have been constructed. The central government intends to erect 2.95 crore houses, although there is currently room for expansion. 3.24 crore people have signed up for this plan to date. In the initial year of the program, 2016 to 2017, just 2,115 homes were established, however, in 2017 to 18, 44.93 lakh homes were built under the program. This number has been rising annually ever since.
The scheme goes further in empowering women
Scheduled Caste/Tribe is the largest group to benefit from this strategy. Of the homes built under the program, 44% have been awarded to SC/ST applicants. Minorities also receive 13% of the residences. Moreover, this program has been very important in empowering women. Women have been granted joint or sole ownership in 72% of the properties that have been constructed under the program. This scheme’s benefits also materialize promptly. 77% of the homes covered under it were completed in a year.
Over 3.3 crore new homes have been built in towns and cities as a result of the program to this point. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has raised people’s living standards while also promoting social transformation. At the moment, the government wants to provide housing to those living in slums. The government is acting on these concerns in an important manner.
