Aurangabad, July 27:
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) an initiative by the Government of India to provide affordable housing to the urban poor has failed to take off in Aurangabad due to non-availability of space. In 2016, 80,000 citizens had applied for the scheme and 52,000 applicants were found eligible for getting a house. However, as the municipal corporation lacks space for building affordable houses, it has requested the district administration to provide space at minimum rates.
The PMAY scheme is being implemented in various phases. The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has decided to work under the third phase that has a span from April 2019 to March 2022. It was decided to build houses through public-private partnership through builders on government land. Nearly 80,000 citizens applied online, but only 52,000 citizens qualified. In 2019, the revenue department handed over 5 acres of land at Mitmita to AMC. However, it was used for Safari park. According to sources, the corporation again applied for land with the revenue department demanding land at Tisgaon, Chikalthana, Sundarwadi and other 7 areas. But the revenue department is yet to take any decision. Interested builders will be invited to submit project plan rates through tender method for construction of affordable houses.
721 beneficiaries in phase 4
Over 10,000 applications were received in the PMAY in phase 4. Out of which 1,000 beneficiaries were found eligible. Of these, 721 received grants of Rs 2.5 lakh. The beneficiaries are waiting for the rest of the grants. Under this phase, the beneficiary must have his own plot in construction and all the documents need to meet the criteria.