Q1: What is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 'Housing for All' Mission?
A1: Launched in June 2015, PMAY-U is an initiative by the Government of India to provide pucca houses to all eligible urban beneficiaries. The mission aims to address India's urban housing shortage.
Q2: Has the mission achieved its objectives so far?
A2: As of 23 August 2023, 1.19 crore houses have been sanctioned out of the initial target of two crore houses. There is still a gap between needs, demand, and supply, indicating challenges in fulfilling the mission.
Q3: What were the initial targets and actual demands under PMAY-U?
A3: Initially, the mission proposed to cover 1.8 crore slum households and 20 lakh non-slum poor. However, the actual validated housing demand stands at about 1.12 crore.
Q4: How does the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs assess housing needs?
A4: The Ministry adopted a demand-driven approach, allowing States and Union Territories to evaluate housing needs in the four vertical areas of PMAY-U. They didn't conduct any independent urban housing assessment study.
Q5: How has the urban population and housing challenge changed over time?
A5: The urban population in India rose from 286.1 million in 2001 to 377.1 million in 2011. Despite this growth, affordable housing remains a challenge with over 31% of the population residing in urban areas.
Q6: What is the feedback of the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs?
A6: The Standing Committee has highlighted a potential extension of the current scheme or the introduction of a new scheme to fulfill the mission's objectives. They also stressed an impact assessment study to gauge the effectiveness of the current scheme.
Q7: How is the PMAY-U mission implemented?
A7: The mission is executed through four verticals: Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR), and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
Q8: Are all the constructed houses under the PMAY-U scheme occupied?
A8: No, data reveals that 5,13,654 houses remain 'unoccupied' under the AHP vertical. The Standing Committee has raised concerns about houses being counted as 'completed' without ensuring their liveability and occupancy.
This FAQ offers insights into the PMAY-U scheme, its objectives, achievements, challenges, and feedback from relevant authorities.
