PMAY-U is a perfect example of the spirit of co-operative and competitive federalism

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) has emerged as one of the largest housing schemes of the world, said Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep S. Puri. Speaking during the Felicitation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) Awards 2021 at Rajkot today, he highlighted that the scheme has already sanctioned 1.23 crore houses that translates to almost 9 times the number that was achieved in the 10 years of the previous regime from 2004 – 2014.   64 lakh houses have already been completed and delivered and the balance too are at various stages of completion.

In order to recognize the outstanding contribution by States, UTs and ULBs, MoHUA has introduced annual awards for excellence in implementation of PMAY(U). The winners for PMAY(U) Awards 2021 have been felicitated by Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep S . Puri during the event. Shri Kaushal Kishore, Union Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Urban Development Ministers from States of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Assam, Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MoHUA were among several other dignitaries who graced the occasion. Besides stakeholders from the housing construction sector from all over the country also joined the event.

Stating Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) as a perfect example of the spirit of co-operative and competitive federalism, Hardeep S. Puri observed that the scheme is a perfect example of the spirit of co-operative and competitive federalism, with all the states participating enthusiastically in ensuring its success.  He said that besides having the full power to appraise and approve the housing projects, all the states have also had a healthy competition with each other to ensure that their state comes on top.  The ultimate winner has been the people, and that too, those that belong to the vulnerable EWS and LIG sections.

The Minister further added that today’s function to award the winners is not only a recognition of the efforts of the states/UTs but also to put on record the acknowledgement and my gratitude to the States/UTs for their unstinted cooperation.

The Minister said that in June 2015, under the vision and leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the flagship missions of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban, Smart City Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) launched earlier, laid the foundations for the most comprehensive, planned urbanisation undertaken anywhere in the world.

He said that the vision of Prime Minister has led to intensive brainstorming and efforts to promote and mainstream indigenous as well as global innovative construction technologies. The effort was to achieve objectives that of ensuring speed and quality of construction without compromising on critical climate concerns. 

In this background, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs organized Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) and Indian Housing Technology Mela (IHTM) in March 2019 and October 2021, respectively.The organization of Indian Housing Conclave in Rajkot this time is a continuation in this series, said Shri Hardeep S. Puri.

He urged the participants to visit the Exhibition on new technologies and materials to learn and replicate in their local context. 

Recalling the inauguration of the first Light House Project by Prime Minister in May 2022, the Minister said that the Prime Minister has taken these efforts to the next level by directing all those involved to ensure the mainstreaming of all these technologies.  He has specifically directed that regular study tours to these LHGPs must be organised for students of engineering colleges, planners, so that our next generation of engineers are conversant with these technologies.