Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Delhi and former minister Ajay Maken on Wednesday criticized the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) [PMAY(U)] scheme, claiming it fails to adequately support the urban poor, who are its intended beneficiaries.
PMAY(U), a flagship scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, consists of four sub-schemes or verticals: Beneficiary Led Construction/Enhancement (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR), and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
Speaking during a discussion on the housing and urban development ministry, Maken emphasized the importance of the ISSR sub-scheme, which aims to provide houses to eligible slum dwellers and integrate them into formal urban settlements. He noted that out of approximately 8.4 million houses delivered under PMAY(U), only about 100,000 (at most 2%) were built for slum dwellers under the ISSR scheme.
Maken highlighted a report from the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, which indicated a 34% decadal growth in slum populations. “In line with this, it is wrong that only 1.63% of the houses under the scheme have been built under ISSR,” he stated.
He also criticized the central grant of Rs. 1 lakh provided under the scheme, arguing that it is insufficient to cover even the basic costs of constructing a house. Maken pointed out that 60% of the houses built under PMAY(U) fall under the BLC sub-scheme, which is meant for people who already own land. He questioned whether anyone who owns land in a city could be considered poor.
Further, Maken noted that 30% of the scheme’s houses were availed under the CLSS sub-scheme, which targets the middle-income group. The remaining 7-8% were allocated to private companies for assisted housing projects.
Elaborating on the CLSS sub-scheme, Maken explained that beneficiaries depend on bank loans, meaning they either own land or are purchasing homes from private builders. He criticized the state and Union government schemes for failing to curb the growth of slums in cities and primarily benefiting builders instead.
Maken’s remarks underscore the ongoing challenges and shortcomings in addressing urban housing needs through the PMAY(U) scheme, calling for a reevaluation of its implementation and focus to better serve the urban poor.