Explained: What is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and how to avail subsidy?

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) of the central government completes seven years today. Want to check your name on the list? Here's a step-by-step guide

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a flagship scheme of the central government to boost home ownership in the country. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015 with the mission of achieving ‘Housing for All’ by 2022. It is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The scheme is split into two parts: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban or PMAY-U and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural or PMAY-R. The Centre chooses the name of the eligible applicants and adds them to a list. Here is all you need to know about the PMAY scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana completes 7 years

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was launched on June 25, 2015, and it completes seven years on Saturday. To commemorate the 7th anniversary of the scheme, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs reportedly organised an event presided by ministry secretary Manoj Joshi. An e-book mentioning the achievements of the program was also launched at the event.

What is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?

Under the PMAY scheme, the government provides a subsidy on availing loans for the purchase, construction, extension, or improvement of a house. The scheme caters to Economical Weaker Sections (EWS), Lower Income Groups (LIG), and Middle Income Groups (MIG) of the society.

It was launched with a target of completing 2.7 crore houses by 2022. So far, a reported 1.8 crore houses have been constructed, i.e., nearly 67% of the target. The scheme is converged with other government schemes to ensure that houses have a toilet, and access to electricity and drinking water.

What are the components of the PM Awas Yojana?

There are four major components of the scheme.

Credit subsidy: Under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme of PMAY, the government provides an interest subsidy of 6.5% for EWS and LIG categories, 4% for the MIG-I category and 3% for the MIG-II category on housing loans for a period of 20 years. The government offers a maximum subsidy of Rs 2.67 lakh on home loan interest.

Slum redevelopment: This part of the scheme aims to redevelop slums using land as a resource in partnership with private organisations. The Centre determines the prices of the houses and the beneficiary contribution (if any) is decided by the respective state government or union territory.

Affordable Housing in Partnership: As part of this scheme, the government provides financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 1.5 lakh to EWS families for the purchase of houses. States and UTs can partner with the private sector to develop such projects. Preference in allotment may be given to people with physical disabilities, senior citizens, SCs and STs, and other vulnerable sections of society.

Subsidiary for Beneficiary-led Construction or Enhancement: This component aims to financially assist EWS families in the construction of a new house or the enhancement of an existing one. EWS households can avail a benefit of Rs 1.5 lakh from the central government under this scheme.

Who is eligible to avail scheme?

Here are the eligibility conditions to avail PMAY scheme.

• The beneficiary should not be aged over 70 years at the end of the repayment period.

• The annual family income limit is Rs 3 lakh per annum for the EWS category, Rs 3-6 lakh for LIG category, Rs 6-12 lakh for MIG-I, and Rs 12-18 lakh for the MIG-II group.

• The applicant should not own a house in any part of India.

• The applicant should not have availed a housing scheme offered by the central or state governments.

How to apply for the PMAY scheme online?

• To apply for the PMAY scheme online, follow these steps:

• Identify the category under which you qualify for PMAY.

• Visit the official PMAY website.

• Click on ‘Citizen Assessment’ under the main menu and select the relevant applicant category.

• You will be redirected to a new page. Enter your Aadhaar details.

• Fill out the form with your personal, income, bank account, and residential details.

• Enter the captcha code, verify your details, and submit the form.

How to apply for the PMAY scheme offline?

You can also apply for the PMAY scheme offline by visiting a government-authorized Common Services Centre (CSC). Fill up the offline application form and pay the required fee.

How can you check your name in the PMAY list?

PMAY-Urban

• Visit the official website of PMAY-Urban: pmaymis.gov.in

• Select the ‘Search Beneficiary’ tab and choose ‘Search by name’ option from the dropdown menu.

• Enter the name and hit the ‘Search’ button.

• You will then get access to the PMAY-Urban list.

PMAY-Gramin

• Visit the official website of PMAY-Gramin: pmayg.nic.in

• Click on the ‘Stakeholder’ tab and choose the ‘IAY/PMAYG’ beneficiary’ option.

• Enter the registration number and click on the ‘Search’ button.

In case you do not have a registration number, go to the Advanced Search option and enter details such as name, BPL number, sanction order, etc., before clicking on the ‘Search’ button.