Focus on Scheduled Castes and Tribes as State Prepares for New Housing Initiative
The central government has sanctioned Rs 288.94 crore for the state of Himachal Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) for the financial year 2024-25. This significant funding aims to support the construction of new homes in rural areas, focusing on providing housing assistance to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
This amount is part of the second tranche of the first instalment allocated to Himachal Pradesh under the PMAY-G scheme. Of the sanctioned amount, Rs 103 crore has been reserved for the Scheduled Castes, and Rs 25.24 crore for Scheduled Tribes, ensuring targeted support for these vulnerable sections of society.
The financial assistance is based on a 90:10 funding ratio between the central and state governments, where the Centre contributes the bulk of Rs 288.94 crore, while Himachal Pradesh is required to release its share of Rs 32.01 crore within 30 days. The central government has also mandated the state to maintain a single nodal account for managing these funds, ensuring transparency and accountability in their utilization.
The Ministry of Rural Development has sent an official letter to the Principal Secretary of Rural Development of Himachal Pradesh, outlining the conditions tied to this grant. As per these directives, Himachal Pradesh must deposit its share promptly, and no recurring deposit (RD) or fixed deposit (FD) can be created from this budget. Additionally, the central assistance must not be diverted to any other accounts.
This initiative is expected to provide a significant boost to rural families in the state by empowering them with financial assistance to construct safe and permanent homes. However, the total number of houses to be built under this grant has not been disclosed, nor has the overall annual allocation for the state been revealed.
