The Indian government has approved the construction of 3,52,915 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0), aiming to provide affordable housing to urban residents. The decision was announced on Friday after a meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC), as per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The newly sanctioned houses will be constructed under two key components of PMAY-U 2.0 – Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC) and Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP). These houses will be built across ten states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Promoting Women’s Empowerment and Inclusivity
A key focus of the scheme is women’s empowerment. Out of the total approved houses, over 2.67 lakh homes are allocated specifically for women, including single women and widows. Additionally, 90 houses have been allotted to transgender individuals, reflecting the government’s commitment to inclusivity.
The government also prioritized the needs of marginalized communities by allocating 80,850 houses for Scheduled Caste (SC) beneficiaries, 15,928 for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 2,12,603 houses for Other Backward Class (OBC) families.
Special Financial Assistance in Uttar Pradesh
The state of Uttar Pradesh has taken further steps to support vulnerable groups. Senior citizens over 70 years of age will receive an additional Rs 30,000, while unmarried women over 40, widows, and separated women will be given Rs 20,000 as financial support, in addition to the state’s share under PMAY-U 2.0.
PMAY-U 2.0 – A Mission for ‘Housing for All’
PMAY-U 2.0, which began on September 1, 2024, aims to meet the housing needs of 1 crore urban poor and middle-class families over the next five years. The scheme focuses on ensuring that all citizens can lead a better quality of life through affordable housing.
It operates under four key verticals:
- Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC)
- Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP)
- Affordable Rental Housing (ARH)
- Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS)
Eligible beneficiaries can apply under any of these verticals based on their preferences and eligibility criteria. To implement the scheme, the government has allocated assistance of Rs 2.30 lakh crore, with a total estimated investment of Rs 10 lakh crore.
Progress So Far
The original Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban, launched in June 2015, has already seen significant progress. Of the 118.64 lakh houses sanctioned under the scheme, about 92 lakh homes have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries.
With the new approvals under PMAY-U 2.0, the government hopes to accelerate its mission of “Housing for All,” ensuring access to affordable, safe, and sustainable housing for urban citizens across the country.
