UIDF - GOVERNMENT SCHEME

News: Budget 2023 | PM Awas Yojana share rises by 66%, with more focus on Tier 2 and 3 cities

 

What's in the news?

       Giving a huge boost to affordable housing, the Union Budget presented on February 1 increased the allocation for the PM Awas Yojana (PMAY) by 66%.

       Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced an Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) which will be used to create urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

 

Key takeaways:

       PMAY was allocated over ₹79,000 crore this fiscal as compared to last year’s ₹48,000 crore.

       The scheme was launched in 2015 with the objective of providing affordable housing to all citizens.

       The scheme was created to assist the middle-income community, economically disadvantaged groups (EWS) and low-income groups (LIG).

       The Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) is aimed to provide its beneficiaries with an interest subsidy to avail loans to purchase or build a house.

 

Urban Infrastructure Development Fund:

       It is established through the use of priority sector lending shortfall.

 

Management: National Housing Bank (NHB).

 

Features:

       It is used by public agencies to create urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

       The Centre will spend ₹10,000 crore per year for the fund.

       It is used for the efficient use of land resources, adequate resources for urban infrastructure, transit-oriented development, enhanced availability and affordability of urban land, and opportunities for all.

       It will encourage urban planning reforms and actions to transform cities into “sustainable cities of tomorrow”

 

Other measures:

       The cities will be incentivized to improve their credit worthiness for municipal bonds.

       This will be done through property tax governance reforms and ring-fencing user charges on urban infrastructure.

       All cities and towns will be enabled for 100% mechanical desludging of septic tanks and sewers to transition from manhole to machine-hole mode and the increased focus will be provided for scientific management of dry and wet waste.

 

Go back to basics:

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U):

       It is a flagship Mission of Government of India being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

       It was launched on 25th June 2015 and addresses urban housing shortage among the EWS/LIG and MIG categories including the slum dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible urban households by the year 2022, when Nation completes 75 years of its Independence.

       PMAY(U) adopts a demand driven approach wherein the Housing shortage is decided based on demand assessment by States/Union Territories.

       The scheme got extended to another two years to 31.03.2024.

 

Coverage:

       It covers the entire urban area consisting of 4041 statutory towns with initial focus on 500 Class I cities.

 

Components of PMAY-U:

The programme has 4 components such as

       Credit Link Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).

       In-situ rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private participation.

       Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP).

       Subsidy for beneficiary led - individual house construction/enhancement.

 

Features:

       The government would provide an interest subsidy of 6.5% on housing loans availed by the beneficiaries for a period of 15 years from the start of loan.

       The houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana would be allotted to preferably the female member of the family.

       All houses under PMAY (U) have basic amenities like toilets, water supply, electricity and kitchen.

       Convergence with the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), MGNREGS, or any other dedicated source of financing will be used to fund the construction of toilets.

       Convergence for piped drinking water, electricity, and LPG gas connections, among other things, will be sought by several government programmers.