Infra services must in DPRs of PMAY 2.0: MoHUA report
MoHUA mandates comprehensive DPRs for PMAY 2.0, ensuring timely infrastructure delivery and completion certificates for final funding, addressing previous implementation gaps.
Learning from the lacunas in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has mandated detailed project reports (DPRs) of PMAY 2.0 to include related infrastructure services along with timelines for handing over.
The ministry, in its action taken report on recommendations made by the standing committee on housing and urban affairs, said that for PMAY “states have been advised to complete the basic infrastructure facilities in these either through their own resources or by converging with other central/state schemes so that they may be delivered to the eligible beneficiaries in time.” The report was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
The report said, “The DPRs of AHP projects under PMAY-U 2.0 have to be comprehensive in nature and should mandatorily include housing as well as all related infrastructure services along with timelines for completion of the works and handing over plan. Adequate social infrastructure like schools, healthcare, green cover and recreational facilities in affordable housing areas has to be ensured by States/UTs. 3rd/final installment of Central Assistance in AHP projects will be release(d) upon Completion Certificates in respect of the projects/blocks including associated infrastructure in each project.”
The development comes months after the standing committee, then headed by Janata Dal (United) lawmaker Rajiv Ranjan Singh, in December 2023 flagged the issue of MoHUA claiming housing units built under the PMAY as “completed” when basic amenities such as accessible roads, sewerage, water, and electricity connections were not provided.
The ministry, in its report, also said that the third and final instalment for PMAY 2.0’s central government assistance will only be released upon Completion Certificates in respect of the projects/blocks including associated infrastructure in each project.
Further on PMAY 2.0, while the current standing committee currently headed by TDP’s Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy questioned the adequacy of government assistance, MoHUA said the proposed funding is “to provide a nudge to the beneficiaries and enable them to construct their houses by arranging funds from other sources as well”. The ministry also mentioned a special loan product is being designed by the department of financial services, ministry of finance to enable beneficiaries to seek housing loan without any collateral.
On the issue of the committee’s recommendation for private funding for mass transit options such as metro rail, the ministry said the experience of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in metro rail projects “is not encouraging”. MoHUA cited the example of the Airport Express line in Delhi, executed by Reliance Infrastructure Limited, being handed over to DMRC as the private player pulled out of service in 2013.
The ministry said even though all of these projects were provided grants by the state and Centre and also aided by the government(s) to monetise their land, the projects became “unviable”. The ministry also said that following the Metro Rail Policy, 2017, Mumbai Metro Line 1, Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and Pune Metro Line 3 (under construction) has been readied under the PPP model.
On the issue of the committee recommending greater allocation of the Union budget to the ministry, MoHUA replied that the average annual budget allocation between 2014-2024 increased by more than three times when compared to the previous 10-year period of 2004-14.
