NEW DELHI: The government has approved the construction of 1.11 crore houses under two schemes of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with 95.54 lakh of these homes already completed and allocated to beneficiaries, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, reported in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
While addressing supplementary questions during the question hour, the minister mentioned that a 2020 slum survey revealed that approximately 6.5 crore individuals, equating to 1.39 crore households, reside in slums nationwide.
“Under both schemes, 1.11 crore houses have been approved, and 1.10 crore have been initiated, with 95.54 lakh houses completed and handed over,” the minister stated.
He noted that land and urban planning fall under state jurisdiction, and policies regarding slum rehabilitation are managed by state and Union Territory (UT) authorities. Thus, the ministry does not maintain data on slum rehabilitation or relocation.
“In the case of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD), slum rehabilitation and demolition are carried out by various land-owning entities such as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) under relevant legal frameworks.
“According to information provided by DDA, as part of the Slum Rehabilitation/Relocation program, eligible slum residents have been properly rehabilitated before any demolition activities. This involved 5,158 households, with 3,414 verified as eligible for alternative housing according to DUSIB’s policies,” the minister detailed in his written reply.
The eligible individuals have been offered alternative housing equipped with modern facilities, he continued.
Implementing agencies conduct slum rehabilitation projects based on their own land management policies and the slum rehabilitation guidelines set by States/UTs. During the rehabilitation and/or resettlement process, both land-owning and implementing agencies, along with affected families and beneficiaries, can seek support under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) and PMAY-U 2.0, provided the beneficiaries meet the criteria.
“The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been enhancing the efforts of States/UTs by offering central funding under PMAY-U since June 25, 2015, to construct homes for eligible families, including those living in slums.
“Building on the experiences gained from implementing PMAY-U, MoHUA has restructured the program and launched PMAY-U 2.0, known as the ‘Housing for All’ Mission, effective September 1, 2024. This initiative aims to assist an additional 1 crore eligible beneficiaries in urban regions. PMAY-U 2.0 is administered through four verticals: Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), Affordable Rental Housing (ARH), and Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS),” he added.
“Under PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0, a total of Rs 2.05 lakh crore has been allocated as central assistance, with Rs 1.75 lakh crore transferred to States/UTs and Rs 1.65 lakh crore utilized by them. Although slum dwellers have benefitted from all PMAY-U verticals, Rs 1,800 crore has been specifically allocated for the In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) vertical,” the housing minister stated.
