Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAYG)

The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana is a flagship program of the Central Government in its mission to provide affordable housing for all. It is addressed to the rural poor under which it will provide pucca houses with all the basic facilities including a hygienic kitchen to those living in kutcha houses. It is the successor of the Indira Awaas Yojana; a similar welfare measure initiated by the Government in force back in the year 1985, and is regarded as one of the most extensive social schemes.

Objective of PMAYG

This social welfare scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to people from the economically marginalized section to have access to housing infrastructure providers. All beneficiaries of this PMAYG will have not only permanent housing but also additional amenities like electricity, LPG, and road connectivity.

A 25-square meters pucca (permanent) house will be built, and the accompanying comforts will be provided under this ambitious ‘Housing for All’ program. In 2019, this scheme was reviewed by the Minister for Rural Development, and the latest studies show that the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana has achieved a significant proportion of its target.

Features of the PMAY Gramin Scheme

The following features are the main highlights of this ambitious welfare plan.

• The total costs incurred when providing housing benefits to the rural poor will be distributed between the Central and State Governments. Currently, the ratio is set at 60:40, of which the last figure is each respective state’s contribution. For all non-hilly states, the total contribution will be Rs 1.20 Lakh.
•  In hilly states, especially the Northern States, contribution levels have a ratio of 90:10, of which the Central Government provides 90% of the funding. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir also accords to the same provisions. For these states, the total sum which will be made available is Rs 1.30 Lakh. This sum will be used to construct permanent housing.
• All other Union Territories will have 100% funding from the Central Government. There is no breakup of the total costs incurred.
• The PMAY Gramin scheme will replace all existing non-permanent housing units and will dramatically improve the rural poor’s living conditions.
• There will also be extra financial assistance of Rs. 12,000 per beneficiary for constructing permanent toilets to accompany each house. This additional assistance will be covered under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin or SBM-G. It will ensure that maximum rural inhabitants have access to hygienic living conditions. Incidentally, this uplifting for access to sanitized living conditions is also a flagship program of the Government.
• All beneficiaries of this scheme will also receive Rs 90.95 per day of unskilled labour under the auspices of the MGNREGS.
• The beneficiaries will be determined based on their social indicators as determined by the Socio-Economic and Caste Census or SECC. The respective gram sabhas will then determine data verification and will pass that information to the administration.
• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin is designed to be completely transparent. All payments will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries, and Aadhaar data will also be verified to ensure that payments are received only by those who need them.

How to Apply for PMAYG

Here are the steps to be followed when adding a new beneficiary to this scheme. It is applicable only when a beneficiary is already qualified but has not yet been added to the database.

1. Log in to the official website of the PMAY-G.
2. All the personal details columns have to be filled in, which consists of gender, Aadhaar number, mobile number, and other details.
3. The consent letter mentioned earlier for using the Aadhaar data has to be uploaded in its entirety.
4. A ‘search’ button will now appear. Clicking on it will divulge details on a beneficiary and if the case has ‘priority.
5. Next, click on ‘Register’.
6. Automatically, the beneficiary’s details will appear. Ensure that the information provided is accurate and updated.
7. The remaining fields including Aadhaar details, details of nomination, bank account, etc. have to be filled.
8. With the completion of this data entry process, if a beneficiary wishes to avail of a loan under this scheme, he or she can click on ‘Yes’ and fill in an amount required as a loan.
9. Finally, SBM and MGNREGS details have to be uploaded.

With the completion of these steps, the assigned authority will process the request to add a beneficiary.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAYG) – Benefits

• All beneficiaries of this scheme can avail of loans of up to Rs. 70,000 from pre-determined financial institutions. This sum will then be used to build a permanent dwelling.
• There are some benefits available when repaying this amount. For one, interest rates will be lower by 3% when compared to ordinary, non-subsidized loans.
• The maximum principal amount for which subsidy can be sought is Rs. 2 Lakh.
• Added benefits like LPG connections covered under the Ujjwala Yojana and other essential facilities also exist.
• Houses constructed in hilly terrains will have increased financial assistance.

Eligibility for PMAYG

The following categories of people are eligible to obtain the benefits of this scheme.

• All landless or homeless families.
• All families who have either one or two-roomed non-permanent (kaccha) housing. Also, a house’s walls and roofs must not be made of concrete.
• Any household which does not have a literate male member above 25 years of age.
• Any family which does not have a member between ages 15 and 59 years of age.
• Any family which has a disabled member is also eligible to avail of benefits under Pradhan Mantri Awas Gramin Yojana.
• Those who do not have a permanent job and only engage in casual labor.
• People from the minorities section as well as Scheduled Tribes and Castes are also included in this scheme.

Documents Required to Apply for PMAY G

The documents which are essential to obtain the benefits of this housing scheme are as follows.

• Applicant’s Aadhaar number and a self-attested copy of his/her Aadhaar Card too. If a beneficiary is illiterate, a consent letter has to be obtained along with the beneficiary’s thumbprint.
• A job beneficiary card duly registered with MGNREGA.
• Bank account details – both originals and duplicates.
• The applicant’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) number.

Check the PMAY Gramin List

The Government uses the SECC data to collect information about who should receive benefits and who remains to avail them. Based on these data available, the State Governments decide on prioritizing beneficiaries. The Gram Sabhas are also consulted. A final list of beneficiaries is then published; other details pertinent to the scheme are also updated continuously.

How to Check PMAYG Application Status

The status of your PMAYG application can be verified on the house Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin official webpage by completing the steps below:

1. First, go to the official PMAYG website.
2. Next, on the webpage, click on FTO Tracking under the Awaassoft tab.
3. Finally, to verify the progress of your PMAYG application, enter your Fund Transfer Order (FTO) number or Public Finance Management System (PFMS) Id.