PM Awas Yojna was one of the most successful welfare schemes in the first term of Modi government. The government built 1.54 crore rural house in the first term.
The government plans to increase the penetration of welfare housing and will build 1.95 lakh more houses in rural areas till 2022. “In the second phase of PMAY-G, during 2019-20 to 2021-22, 1.95 crore houses are proposed to be provided to the eligible beneficiaries,” said FM Nirmala Sitharamna in her budget presentation. Another 80 lakh homes will be completed by 2022 under PM Awas Yojna (Urban).
The budget also aims to tweak the policies in the rental housing which is primarily prevalent in urban areas. The government will create an easier framework to regulate rental housing in the country. “Current rental laws are archaic as they do not address lessor-lessee relationships fairly…Model tenancy law will be finalized and circulated to states,” said the FM.
The houses built under PMAY-G are equipped with all basic amenities like toilet, LPG connection, electricity connection, LED bulbs, fans and clean drinking water. These facilities are being provided to BPL houses under other welfare schemes such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Ujjwala Yojana LPG gas connection and the Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection. The merger of these schemes which are primarily targeted at poor households helps families get a fully equipped house for living a dignified life. More than 10 lakh households in Madhya Pradesh alone have gotten houses equipped with toilet, LPG connection, electricity connection, LED bulbs and fan and clean drinking water due to the efficient implementation of the welfare schemes.
The flagship housing scheme of the Modi government has created more than 60 lakh jobs from 2015 to 2019. The scheme which was aimed at Housing for all was launched in June 2015 and has created 61.49 lakh jobs so far. The housing for all has been highly successful in urban as well as rural areas. Thousands of people from marginalized section of society in rural areas got houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
A country with such a huge population could not grow without good regulation of rental housing or low budget housing for the poorer section of the society. This budget will prove instrumental in the promotion of Ease of Living through affordable housing.