Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAYG), also known as PM awas Yojna, is a flagship program that aims to provide affordable housing to the rural poor in India. The main focus of this govt scheme, launched on April 1st, 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is providing financial assistance for weaker sections, SCs and STs to construct houses with essential amenities.
What is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna ensures that every rural household can access basic facilities like toilets, electricity and LPG connections in “pucca” houses. This Sarkari scheme replaces the Indira Awas Yojana and it converges with other government initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana and Saubhagya Yojana which seek to improve living standards and promote socio-economic development.
Key Features of the Saubhagya Yojana
Here are some salient features of the Saubhagya Yojana:
- Universal Access to Electricity: The programme seeks to offer electricity to all willing households thereby giving them a sustainable and reliable source of power.
- Alternative for Kerosene: By offering electricity, the plan helps people who use kerosene enjoy a cleaner environment that does not involve hazards associated with flames.
- Improved Health Services: Efficient health services are enhanced due to the availability of electricity leading to better medical attention.
- Enhanced Communication: When there is electricity people can access radios, TVs and the internet among other communication tools.
- Increased Job Opportunities: Therefore the availability of dependable electric supply leads to the creation of new businesses and industries where employment opportunities increase too.
- Improved Quality of Life: It reduces women’s workload regarding domestic work besides enhancing better lighting for academic purposes.
Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna comes with several benefits to rural households:
- Financial Assistance: The plan allows for a sum of up to 1,20,000 rupees per unit for the plains and Rs. 1,30,000 for hilly areas.
- Employment Assistance: It provides MGNREGA scheme beneficiaries with employment opportunities for one hundred days to support them financially as well.
- Professional Loan: This means that at least three per cent interest can be charged on the loan taken out by the borrowers from any financial institution. The maximum amount of subsidy available under this programme is limited to Rupees Two lakh in each case.
- Toilet Facilities: This will promote sanitation that is in line with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan guidelines since toilets will be provided in all houses built under the scheme.
- LPG Connection: Under Ujjwala Yojana, beneficiaries are eligible to receive LPG connections.
- Kitchen Space: Every house has an assigned cooking space which measures 25 sqm.
- Cash Payment: Financial assistance is directly deposited into the bank or post office account of the beneficiary linked with the AADHAR card
Eligibility and Application Process
Some of the people who can qualify for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna are households without shelter, manual scavengers, primitive tribal groups, and destitute and legally released bonded laborers. For detailed eligibility criteria, please refer to the Jaagruk Bharat.
Conclusion
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna is an endeavor to bridge the gap of housing needs in rural India by increasing the supply side through financial assistance and materials provision thereby promoting social welfare and enhancing living conditions. Building this more equitable society also signifies a major step towards commerce-driven economic growth within the nation.
For more information about govt schemes and how to apply, visit the official website of Jaagruk Bharat.