By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 25 Nov: In a significant development under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a project aimed at Housing for All (Urban), the Uttarakhand government has signed an agreement with the Union Government for the scheme’s second phase. This phase will provide increased financial grants to beneficiaries and will accelerate housing development for homeless families in urban areas.
Under the scheme, which provides housing to homeless families in urban regions, financial assistance is extended in four components to families with an annual income ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 18 lakh.
During the first phase of the scheme, the Union Government had approved 64,391 houses in Uttarakhand. Of these, under the Beneficiary-Based Construction component, construction of 12,222 houses has been completed as of October this year while work on the remaining houses is ongoing. For this component, the central government has provided a grant of Rs 1.50 lakhs per house, amounting to approximately Rs 263.71 crores, with the state government contributing Rs 50,000 per house.
In the Affordable Housing component, approval for 15,960 houses was received. Of these, 11,384 houses have been allotted, and 1,894 houses have been constructed. The central government has disbursed an amount of Rs 161.96 crores at the rate of Rs 1.50 lakhs per house, while the state government has contributed an amount of Rs 2 lakh per house, reducing the beneficiary’s contribution to just Rs 3.50 lakhs per house.
Under the Loan-Based Construction component, all 19,919 approved houses have been built, and beneficiaries have received interest subsidies through banks.
Urban Development Secretary Nitesh Jha today shared that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 2.0, launched by the central government in September, will further increase assistance to beneficiaries. Under this phase, the central grant per house has been raised from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh, ensuring more substantial support for eligible families.
Commenting on this development, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today expressed optimism about the scheme, stating that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is transforming the lives of lakhs of homeless families by providing them with secure shelter. In Uttarakhand, thousands have already benefited, with significant contributions from both the central and state governments.
The second phase of the scheme is expected to provide a major boost to housing development, helping more families in Uttarakhand realise their dream of owning a home.
