Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin – PMAYG

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was introduced in 2015 as a solution to the issues of homelessness plaguing India. While previous schemes, such as Indira Awas Yojana, did bring some relief to individuals belonging below the poverty line or BPL, PMAY offered a concrete look at its goals from the get-go. As per the Government, PMAY looks to construct around 20 million units for the homeless by March 2022.

In its bid to achieve this singular goal, the scheme was divided into two wide sections, namely PMAY Urban (PMAYU) and PMAY Gramin (PMAYG). While the former explicitly deals with the development of affordable housing in the cities and metropolitan regions, the latter is concerned with providing homes to the significant rural populace in India.

Know all about PMAYG Gramin to take advantage of its unique benefits and features.

About PMAY-G – Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin

As the name suggests, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin is concerned with providing housing to eligible applicants residing in villages and small towns. Each housing unit under this scheme would be pucca properties, with all of the necessities required for living, such as electricity, water supply and proper sanitation.

Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, each beneficiary of PMAYG will also receive an additional Rs.12000 as monetary assistance to build toilets. This, along with other financial assistance, ensures ownership of the property for families who do not possess a residence of their own.

Each housing unit constructed under this centralised scheme would also be equipped with adequate disaster resiliency. Their construction would also involve the use of eco-friendly materials and practices only.

Features & Benefits Under PMAYG Scheme

Keep the following benefits in mind when considering PM Awas Yojana Gramin application –

• Pucca house units for all eligible applicants

  The objective is to create around 2.95 crore pucca houses by March 2022. Of them, 1 crore units have already been constructed in PMAYG’s phase 1. In phase 2, the Government will try to build 1.95 crore more units throughout the rural regions in India.

• Cost-sharing between state and Centre

  The construction cost will be borne by the concerned state government, along with the Central Government. In plain areas, the proportion of investment for Centre and state would be 60:40, respectively. In hilly regions, Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern parts of India, this cost would be divided as 90:10, with 90% being funded by the Central Government.

  However, in union territories, only the Centre would pay for house construction expenses.

• Financial aid to homeowners

  Under PMAYG, beneficiaries also receive significant financial assistance, amounting to Rs.1.2 lakh per unit in plain areas and Rs.1.3 lakh in hilly or north-eastern areas. This money can go a long way to aid an economically challenged family after the construction of their housing unit is complete.

• Employment for beneficiaries

  Besides the housing-related benefits, this scheme also entails attractive employment opportunities, lasting around 90-95 days for an applicant. This is extended as part of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and can help unemployed individuals earn a living, albeit temporarily.

• Option to borrow funds

  An applicant can avail financial assistance from partner lending institutions to the tune of up to Rs.70000. This borrowed amount can be utilised in any manner they choose. Thus, the resulting loan comes with complete end-usage freedom.

• Specified size for every housing unit

  The PM Gramin Awas Yojana also explicitly states that every constructed housing unit must measure at least 25 square metres. Therefore, even though the constructed properties can be bigger, they cannot be smaller than this specified dimension.

• Ground floor preference for elderly and physically challenged individuals

  Under this Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin scheme, preference is given to senior citizens and physically challenged individuals when it comes to the allotment of ground floor housing units.

Meet the following criteria to become eligible for PMAYG benefits –

• Families residing in kutcha houses with up to 2 rooms are eligible to claim Gramin Awas Yojana benefits.
• The beneficiary or his/her family members should not own pucca houses anywhere in India as of the time of this scheme’s application.
• Casual labourers whose families lack any land or property are also eligible for benefits.
• Families, which lack a literate family member over the age of 25 years, can apply under this housing scheme as well.
• Minorities, tribal citizens, SC and ST individuals can seek assistance under this centralised scheme.
• Also, families with no male members aged between 16 and 59 years would also be eligible for Gramin Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana related benefits.
• Households with specially-abled members can also seek financing assistance under this credit-linked subsidy scheme.

You can calculate your eligibility by using PMAY eligibility calculator, Additionally, to acquire the said benefits, an applicant’s family income should not exceed Rs.6 lakh in a year.

Knowing the eligibility criteria for this Gramin variant of the PMAY scheme is not enough. To ensure a hassle-free application process, potential beneficiaries must also undertake a thorough documentation process.

The necessary documents for PMAYG Gramin include the following –

• Identity proof photocopy
• Filled-up application form
• Address proof photocopy
• Aadhaar number
• Savings account details
• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) registration number for the PMAYG applicant
• MGNREGA registration card or registration number
• Signed document offering consent to use the applicant’s Aadhaar information. 

After applying for home loan under PMAYG scheme, applicants need to confirm their name on the beneficiary’s PM Awas Yojana Gramin list, released by the Indian Government each year. The list for PMAYU and PMAYG is different since they cater to separate sections and economic backgrounds. Applicants under this Gramin scheme can check whether their name is on this PMAYG list or not, using the following procedure –

• Visit the official website at https://rhreporting.nic.in/netiay/Benificiary.aspx
• Enter the unique registration number that PMAYG applicants receive when applying for this scheme.
• If the registration number matches one on the list, related details would also show up.

Upon difficulty to locate the registration number, choose an ‘Advanced Search’ option. For this, follow the steps mentioned below –

• In this method, the applicant would need to enter other details related to their application, such as Sanction Order, BPL number and others.

Applicants can undertake PMAYG applications online and offline, although the former is faster and more simplified. Here are the steps to follow for the PMAYG online apply process –

• Log in to the official PMAY website
• Navigate to ‘Citizen Assessment’ option.
• Choose ‘Benefits under Other 3 Components’.
• Enter your Aadhaar number on the next page.
• If all goes well, the website will redirect you to an online PMAYG application form. Fill it up with the pertinent details, such as name, address, phone number and more.
• Verify with the captcha and click on save.
• An application number will be displayed on the screen - save for future use.

For offline application, individuals would need to carry the necessary documents and filled-up application form to a PMAY listed financial institution’s branch. With such a streamlined application process, the PM Awas Gramin Yojana aims to maximise its outreach among eligible beneficiaries.