House panel suggests flexible central support

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), the government's flagship program for urban housing, has a number of flaws, according to the parliamentary standing committee on public housing and urban business, and it should not be uniformly funded across the country; instead, it should vary depending on local conditions.

The committee, led by MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, noted in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha that the average cost of an EWS house built under the programme is approximately 0.65 million, which is split among the central government, state government, urban local bodies (ULBs), and beneficiaries. In metropolitan, non-metropolitan, hilly, and North-Eastern states, the estimated average cost of an EWS dwelling under PMAY-U is 1.334 million, 1.034 million, 0.898 million, and 0.855 million, respectively.

Although the contribution of the states may differ and some states make only a small contribution, The centre's share has been determined.

Central assistance is set at 0.1 million, 0.15 million, 0.15 million and 0.231 million for the in-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR), Beneficiary Guided Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing Project (AHP), respectively credit linked subsidy scheme (CLSS).

The statement read: "The committee has noted that the beneficiary's contribution increases due to less/no state aid and fixed central assistance, making EWS housing unaffordable among the target groups population."

"If a second phase of the PMAY(U) mission is planned after the first one is over, the ministry can do that. Get rid of uniform and fixed central aid nationwide. The amount of central aid should vary Based on construction costs, which in turn depend on geography and other considerations. The panel felt that central aid should vary because certain states are struggling to bridge. the gap due to a lack of resources.

The report also stated that there had been no independent research to determine the need for urban housing. carried out by the ministry. The statement read: "The committee finds that it is a demand-driven schedule, there are chances that some homeless people who did not meet the admission requirements for the scheme or because of other obstacles, such as a maximum contribution from individuals, the requirement of land, etc., could not take advantage of the advantage."

According to the report, "the ministry can then examine the viability of extending the current scheme with amendments based on impact assessment study or to formulate another such scheme for the benefit of the urban poor in general to achieve the objective of the Indian Government: "Housing for everyone."