What Is The PMAY Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana)?

Being able to afford a house is a dream for many, especially for the people belonging to the economically weaker sections of society. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban and Gramin (PMAY-U) and PMAYG help people buy their own houses with the help of subsidies on loan interest. After covering Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, let us understand the view for PMAY Urban development.

What Is The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a flagship initiative launched by the Government of India to address the country's housing needs, aiming to provide affordable housing to the urban and rural poor. The scheme, which began on 25 June 2015, is managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and is structured to ensure that every citizen has access to a permanent house by the year 2022. It has two components: PMAY-Gramin (PMAY-G), focusing on rural areas, and PMAY-Urban (PMAY-U), focusing on urban areas.

1. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)

Definition: PMAY-Gramin (previously known as Indira Awas Yojana) focuses on providing housing to the rural population, specifically the homeless and those living in dilapidated houses in rural areas. The aim is to ensure that every household in rural India has access to a pucca house with basic amenities.

Key Features:

2. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U)

Definition: PMAY-Urban is designed to address the housing needs of the urban poor, focusing on individuals from economically weaker sections (EWS), low-income groups (LIG), and middle-income groups (MIG). The objective is to provide affordable housing for all urban citizens, including those living in slums.

Key Features:

What Are The Benefits Of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a government scheme that helps people, especially those who cannot afford to buy or build their own homes. It offers many benefits to make it easier for poor and middle-income families to own a house. Let's understand these benefits in simple language:

1. Loans at Low Interest Rates

Under the PMAY scheme, people can get home loans at a lower interest rate than what banks usually offer. This means that if you take a loan to buy or build a house, you will have to pay less money back to the bank. The government provides a subsidy on the interest, which makes the loan cheaper for you. This is a big help because paying less interest means more savings.

2. Reduces the Burden of Interest Payments

Normally, when you borrow money from a bank, you have to pay a lot of extra money as interest over time. However, with PMAY, because of the subsidy, you don't have to worry about paying high interest. This reduces the burden on your pocket, making it easier to repay the loan.

3. Makes Buying a House Affordable

Many people in India, especially those living under the poverty line or with a low income, find it very hard to buy a house. PMAY is designed to make housing more affordable for everyone. With low-interest loans and financial assistance, buying or building your own house becomes possible, even for families who don’t earn a lot.

4. Financial Help to Build or Buy a House

For those who want to build or buy a house, the government provides financial help through this scheme. Whether you are buying your first home or building a new one, PMAY offers support by making it easier for you to arrange the money required for the house.

5. Covers Various Income Groups

The PMAY scheme is inclusive, meaning it is designed to help different groups of people. It has separate categories for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low-Income Group (LIG), and Middle-Income Group (MIG). This ensures that the scheme is available for families with low or middle incomes, not just the poorest. It means a wide range of people can benefit from it.

6. Helps Reduce Slums

By offering affordable housing, PMAY aims to reduce the number of people living in slums. Many people live in slums because they cannot afford proper houses. PMAY helps them move into safe, permanent homes, which improves their living conditions and reduces the overcrowding in slum areas.

7. Improves Quality of Life

Living in a pucca (permanent) house with proper facilities like toilets, clean drinking water, and electricity improves the overall quality of life. It provides families with a safe and secure environment, protecting them from weather, diseases, and unsafe living conditions. Owning a house gives people a sense of security and stability, which is important for a better life.

8. Supports Economic Growth

When more people build or buy houses, it helps in growing the economy. It creates jobs in construction and related sectors, and people spend money on materials and services. This overall development contributes to a stronger economy by generating employment and improving infrastructure.

By helping people from all walks of life, especially those struggling financially, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana gives families a chance to own a home, providing safety, stability, and hope for a better future. If you are below the poverty line, this scheme could be your gateway to owning a home.

What Are The Eligibility Criteria To Apply For Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?

The PM Awas Yojana eligibility criteria mentioned here are specifically designed to address the housing needs in urban areas of India. The scheme aims to provide affordable housing to individuals and families living in cities and towns, particularly targeting the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Low-Income Groups (LIG), and Middle-Income Groups (MIG).

• Must be an Indian citizen living in India.

• A salaried employee or a self-employed professional between the ages of 23 and 70 years.

• Must have a CIBIL Score of 725 and higher to get a home loan.

• EWS households with annual income up to 3 lakhs.

• LIG households with annual income between 3 lakhs and 6 lakhs.

• MIG-1 households with annual income between 6 lakhs and 12 lakhs.

• MIG-2 households with annual income between 12 lakhs and 18 lakhs.

• Must not own a pucca house in any part of the country.

• The family must include a husband/wife and unmarried children.

• Should not have availed of any housing-related schemes before.

The allotment is done based on the calculation of scores within groups. The following parameters are given consideration, each with an equal weightage:

• Households with no adult members aged between 16 to 59 years.

• Female-headed households with no adult male members aged between 16 to 59.

• Households with no literate adult above 25 years of age.

• Households with any disabled member and no able-bodied adult member

• Landless Households derive the major part of their income from manual casual labour

• Households with higher deprivation scores will be ranked higher within the subgroups.

Also read: Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY): Transforming Food Security in India.

Application Process

How To Apply For Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban seeks to provide affordable housing to urban individuals. The application process for PMAY-U is simple and has both offline and online applications available. Let’s take a look at both.

Online Application Process:

Step 1: Visit the official PMAY-U website.

Step 2: Select the ‘Citizen Assessment’ option.

Step 3: Then click on ‘For Slum Dwellers’ or ‘Benefits under the other three components’.

Step 4: Enter your Aadhaar card details.

Step 5: You will be redirected to the online application form.

Step 6: Fill out the application form and upload the necessary documents.

Step 7: Click ‘Save’ and enter the Captcha code.

Step 8: The application is complete.

Offline Application Process:

If you want to apply for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban offline, follow the PMAY offline registration process as follows.

Step 1: Visit the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC).

Step 2: Pay Rs. 25 to buy the application form.

Step 3: Fill out the form and attach the necessary documents.

Step 4: Submit the application form.

How To Check The Beneficiary List For PMAY Urban?

People can check their name in the beneficiary list for PMAY-Urban by following some simple steps. Those steps are laid down below for one’s reference:

Step 1: Visit the official PMAY-U portal.

Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Search beneficiary’ option.

Step 3: Fill in your Aadhaar number and view the list.