DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Haryana Cabinet on Friday approved the 'Mukhya Mantri Shehri Awas Yojana' which seeks to provide affordable housing to the economically weaker sections (EWS) of society. Under this scheme, housing facilities will be extended to all poor families who either lack their own house in urban areas or currently reside in 'kutcha houses', according to the decision taken by the state Cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Initially, the initiative aims to provide housing to 1 lakh economically weaker families, according to an official statement issued here.

Those having annual family income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh as per the 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' (family id) and do not own a 'pucca' house in any urban area of Haryana will be eligible for the housing scheme.

The scheme has provisions for a 30 square yard plot for each eligible family, allowing the beneficiaries to construct their own 'pucca' houses.

The state government, through the Department of Housing for All, will provide the necessary land, the statement said.

This scheme, primarily state-sponsored, will integrate with the beneficiary-led construction (BLC) vertical of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).

It targets families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh who have been registered in the demand survey conducted via the Department of Housing For All's web portal from September 13, 2023 to October 19, 2023, and January 5, 2024 to January 19, 2024, it said.

Last year, an online registration drive was conducted to assess the housing demand among urban families. Approximately 2.89 lakh applicants registered their demand for flats or plots, with 1.51 lakh opting for plots and 1.39 lakh for flats.

Beneficiaries can construct a duplex (double-storey) flat with a carpet area of 350 square feet/425 sqft on the allotted 30 square yard plot, as per standard designs.

Financial assistance, combining subsidies, loans, and interest subvention schemes, will be provided.

A financial aid of up to Rs 1.5 lakh each will be offered to facilitate house construction under the beneficiary-led construction vertical of PMAY-U, it further said.

For beneficiaries securing housing loans up to Rs 6 lakh from nationalized banks or housing finance companies, the state government will provide interest subvention on their EMIs.

The government will cover the total interest amount for the first two years and up to Rs 35,000 of the interest amount in the third year. In the fourth year, the government will pay up to Rs 25,000 of the interest amount, and up to Rs 10,000 in the fifth year.

Additionally, building approval charges, development charges, and the betterment levy will be waived for MMSAY beneficiaries. The registration (conveyance deed) fee for the plot will be a nominal Rs 500.

Charges for water and sewerage connections will also be waived at the time of application by the concerned authority, it said.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government also decided to implement Mukhya Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (MMGAY) to ensure that all the rural residents have access to a habitable and affordable dwelling unit.

MMGAY aims to provide affordable, quality rural housing, fostering sustainable development and vibrant communities.

Under the scheme, financial assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh or actual price of the plot of land, whichever is less, for the purchase of own residential plot of up to 100 square yards will be provided to those who did not get plot under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana (MGGBY).

MMGAY will be implemented for 2024-25 and 2025-26.

The Rural Development Department will provide the list of beneficiaries under MGGBY to whom possession of 100 square yards plot cannot be delivered.

The scheme will cover those who were to be allotted plots under MGGBY but have not been given possession of the plots in the last 15 years.
(editor@dailyworld.in)