States asked to fast-track housing scheme work

NEW DELHI:  The ministry of housing has instructed the states to focus on expediting completion of houses under the Centre’s housing scheme, which reached its mission period early next year. A meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) was held on November 23 and attended by Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra. 

It was held to review the progress of the government’s flagship mission. Mishra took up the issues with the states/Union Territories regarding construction of houses and asked them to resolve them without delay.
A total of 3.61 lakh houses were approved for construction in 17 states/Union Territories under various verticals of PMAY-U. Construction is in various stages. 

With this, the total number of sanctioned houses under the mission is 1.14 crore. Of these, more than 89 lakh have been commissioned for construction and 52.5 lakh have been completed and delivered to beneficiaries. Total investment under the mission has touched Rs 7.52 lakh crore, with a Central assistance of Rs 1.85 lakh crore. So far, Rs 1.13 lakh crore has been released. 

At the meeting, an e-finance module was launched with the objective of providing a unique platform to all stake-holders for disbursement of funds through Direct Benefit Transfer and to validate beneficiaries. 
The secretary also approved proposals under the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs) Model 2 in Telangana and Tamil Nadu. A total of 19,535 units have been approved for urban migrants/poor, involving a technology innovation grant of Rs 39.11 crore.

The official directed the states/UTs to ensure proper implementation of ARHCs by utilising vacant JnNURM houses. He also encouraged the stake-holders to come up with more proposals. ARHCs provide affordable rental accommodation to urban migrants/poor near their workplace.