The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has started many schemes to address the issues that the country has regarding housing and urbanization. These range from affordable housing projects to sustainable urban development programs. By 2024, various schemes had been updated or extended; these include those aimed at improving infrastructure, raising the availability of housing, and facilitating sustainable living.
This blog will attempt to analyze the key schemes evolved by MoHUA, their rationale, and how these are crafting the future of cities in India.
Introduction
India has witnessed an increase in the urban population, which needs better housing, efficient transport, and improved living conditions. MoHUA plays a significant role in framing policies to cater to such needs. From the Smart Cities Mission to ambitious, comprehensive housing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the ministry is at the centre of changing urban India.
In 2024, significant updates include extensions of deadlines and new housing incentives, marking a renewed focus on urban development.
Significant Schemes of the Ministry in India
1. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban
About
The PM Awas Yojana-Urban, 2015 is to give each one a dwelling unit so that people of urban India may have a pucca house with some basic facility irrespective of their background. As of this scheme, all these sections of economically weaker sections, low-income groups, and middle-income groups are included.
This scheme has four core verticals.
- In-situ slum redevelopment- This approach enhances the slum by using land as an input.
- Credit-linked subsidy scheme- This scheme comes with an interest subsidy on housing loans.
- Affordable housing in partnership- This vertical facilitates the participation of the private sector in building affordable houses.
- Beneficiary-Led Individual House Construction- It supports individuals by constructing or improving their homes.
Objectives of this scheme
- The deadline for building two crore houses by 2022 was later stretched to 2024.
- Improving the stock of urban housing by putting public-private partnerships into practice.
- The provision of basic services such as water, electricity, and sanitation to all houses.
Recent updates and Achievements
- In this scheme, more than 123 lakh houses were sanctioned, with over 62 lakh completed as of 2024.
- It provided direct assistance to over 1.5 crore beneficiaries through subsidies and housing projects.
- This scheme encouraged investment of over Rs 7 lakh crore in urban housing development.
- The scheme got an extension until December 2024 to complete the pending projects.
- In addition, the increased subsidies amounting to Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.67 lakh to the eligible applicant under the credit linked subsidy scheme.
2. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
About
The national mission on sustainable habitat is an integral part of the national communication on climate change, which is on sustainable urban development. This covers energy efficiency and conservation, environmentally sensitive architectural designs and techniques and efficient methods of reducing the detrimental effect cities have on the physical environment.
Objectives
- To integrate energy conservation building codes within housing and commercial building projects.
- To promote public transport systems like metro rail and electric buses to reduce emissions.
- To develop innovative solid waste management systems, which include Waste-to-Energy solutions.
- Cities’ resiliency to climate risks can be improved by promoting green infrastructure.
Recent updates and Achievements
- More than 20 states have implemented the ECBC, reducing urban energy consumption.
- Expansion of waste-to-energy plants and scientific waste disposal in Tier 1 cities like Delhi and Pune.
- Urban infrastructures use greater renewable energy sources; public structures are powered by solar energy.
- Various pilot projects on zero-energy buildings were initiated in select cities.
- International cooperation in seeking technical expertise towards green urban development
3. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation
About
It was initiated in the financial year 2015, AMRUT has remained dedicated to the rejuvenation of urban landscape in 500 distinct cities showcasing priority on provision of water supply and sewerage connections, development of open spaces, and promotion of integrated urban transportation. AMRUT has been laid down in a bottom-up structure where the state and local agencies have been involved.
Objectives
- To achieve universal water supply coverage in targeted cities.
- This is to modernize sewage treatment and facilitate wastewater recycling.
- To create well-maintained parks and open spaces to enhance urban ecology.
- To build the capacities of local bodies so they can handle urban challenges better.
Recent updates and Achievements
- More than 2,000 urban parks have been developed, increasing greenery and public recreation spaces.
- More than 100% water supply coverage was achieved in many cities under Phase 1.
- Various advanced schemes of wastewater recycling have been launched in cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
- The AMRUT 2.0 launch aimed at increasing the coverage of water supply and sewerage systems.
- It emphasizes sustainable urban drainage systems to mitigate waterlogging issues.
4. Smart Cities Mission
About
The smart cities mission was started in 2015 to develop sustainable, technologically enabled, and citizen-friendly urban hubs. It aims at developing hundreds smart cities, integrated through water, waste, transport, and governance.
Objectives
- To integrate command and control centres with real-time surveillance of the whole city.
- For developing application-based public transport systems and bicycle-sharing programs for smart urban mobility solutions.
- For installation of renewable energy systems, such as solar networks and LED streetlights.
Recent updates and Achievements
- More than 5,000 projects have already been completed, and investments are over Rs 2 lakh crore.
- The cities like Pune, Surat, and Kochi have accepted AI-based systems for public safety and traffic management.
- The mechanism of easy citizen access through e-governance platforms.
- The Smart Cities mission 2.0 shall expand the smart solutions to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
- The deployment of AI-powered urban planning tools to enhance infrastructure.
5. Swachh Bharat Mission
About
It was launched in 2014 Similarly, the aim of its was to eliminate open defecation & also to provide adequate material and facility to manage this sector in urban India. This scheme talks about behavior change, segregation of waste, and the scientific processing of solid waste.
Objectives
- To ensure that all urban local bodies become Open defecation-free.
- It encourages waste-to-compost and waste-to-energy technologies.
- To encourage the private sector participation in sanitation infrastructure development.
Recent updates and Achievements
- This scheme has achieved more than 4,000 cities declared open defecation-free.
- Through this scheme, the construction of 70 lakhs household toilets and 6 lakh community/public toilets has been done.
- There is a considerable enhancement of adequate segregation and recycling practices.
- The Swachh Survekshan 2024 is launching with new parameters on cleanliness rankings.
- Now, the emphasis on plastic waste management and recycling has increased.
Conclusion
Schemes of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs are indeed altering the scenario of the Indian urban landscape and addressing some critical issues such as housing shortages, poverty in urban areas, and environmental challenges. The initiative ranges from creating affordable housing to smart cities and sustainable growth in cities.
As citizens, we must appreciate those efforts. After all, success is not just based on policies but people. Only if together, we ensure our cities stay as places where life blossoms as well as centre of growth.
References
https://pib.gov.in/
https://pmaymis.gov.in/
https://mohua.gov.in/
https://smartcities.gov.in/
