PM Awas Yojana Gramin

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) is the central government’s rural housing scheme launched in April 2016 to replace the Indira Awaas Yojana. It aims to provide pucca houses with basic amenities to all homeless households and those living in dilapidated kutcha houses in rural India, targeting Housing for All.

What Is PMAY-G?

PMAY-G provides financial assistance directly to eligible rural families to construct houses. Unlike IAY, PMAY-G sets clear quality standards, uses technology for monitoring, and leverages convergence with other schemes for a complete package (house + toilet + cooking fuel).

Financial Assistance

– **Plain areas**: Rs 1.20 lakh per unit
– **Hilly states, difficult terrain, IAP districts**: Rs 1.30 lakh per unit

Additional support through convergence:
– Rs 12,000 under Swachh Bharat Mission for toilet construction
– 90 days (plain areas) or 95 days (hilly areas) of MGNREGS unskilled labour wages for house construction

Beneficiary Selection

Beneficiaries are identified from the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. Priority categories include:
– Automatically included: schedule caste and tribe households, minorities
– Households with no adult member between 16 and 59 years
– Female-headed households without adult male member
– Primitive tribal groups and freed bonded labourers

Technology and Monitoring

PMAY-G uses:
– **AwaasSoft**: an MIS system for beneficiary management and fund release
– **AwaasApp**: mobile-based app where beneficiaries upload geo-tagged photos of construction at each stage
– **Fund release**: linked to construction progress verified through the app

This prevents misuse of funds and ensures houses are actually built.

PMAY-G Targets

The revised target is to provide 2.95 crore houses by 2024 under PMAY-G Phase I and Phase II. Over 2 crore houses have been completed as of 2024.

Practical Example

Devaki, a widow from an SC community in Maharashtra, was identified under PMAY-G. She received the first instalment of Rs 40,000 on beginning construction. As she uploaded photos of the plinth, walls, and roof, further instalments were released. She also received Rs 12,000 for a toilet and earned MGNREGS wages for her own labour. Her total support was approximately Rs 1.32 lakh for the house plus MGNREGS income.

Key Takeaways

– PMAY-G provides Rs 1.20 to Rs 1.30 lakh for rural house construction to SECC-identified families
– Convergence with Swachh Bharat Mission (toilet) and MGNREGS (labour wages) adds to total support
– Technology-based monitoring through AwaasApp ensures fund release is tied to actual construction
– Target of 2.95 crore houses; over 2 crore completed as of 2024
– Replaced Indira Awaas Yojana with better monitoring, higher assistance, and quality standards