PM-AWAS Yojana game-changer to women empowerment: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the centrality of a home in ensuring dignity and empowerment on the occasion of International Women's Day on Friday.

He said that the PM-AWAS Yojana has been a game-changer in the further empowerment of women.

"A home is the foundation of dignity. It's where empowerment begins and dreams take flight. PM-AWAS Yojana has been a game-changer to further empowerment of women," PM Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister also shared a story of a beneficiary of the scheme in a video along with his post.

"Fear passes our minds when it starts raining. As the roofs and foundation are not strong, the possibility of them coming down is high. A strong pucca house was only a dream to us and we prayed to God for a house. Sanitation, proper housing--everything was a concern for us, a family of six that has two girls also," Urmila Devi, a beneficiary of the PM-AWAS Yojana, said.

Urmila Devi expressed happiness at receiving a house for her family and thanked the Prime Minister for the scheme.

Urmila Devi's husband, Amit Kumar Gautham, said, "Under the scheme, my wife will be the owner of the house, which adds to our joy. We got a new house, now children will live without fear under strong roofs."

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission was launched in June 2015, intending to provide housing for all in urban areas by the year 2022. In August 2022, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of PMAY-U up to December 31, 2024, with all verticals except the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), for the completion of already sanctioned houses until March 31, 2022.

It is one of the major flagship programmes being implemented by the Government of India under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

The Mission provides Central Assistance to the implementing agencies through States/Union Territories (UTs) and Central Nodal Agencies (CNAs) for providing houses to all eligible families/ beneficiaries against the validated demand for houses for about 1.12 cr.

In continuation of this government's efforts towards the empowerment of women from EWS and LIG, unlike earlier schemes, PMAY (U) has made a mandatory provision for the female head of the family to be the owner or co-owner of the house under this mission.