Rural Housing in National Perspective

Housing is one of basic requirements for human survival. For a normal citizen, owning a house provides significant economic security and dignity in society. For a shelter less person, possession of a house brings about a profound social change in his existence, endowing him with an identity, thus integrating him with his immediate social milieu.
According to the 1991 Census, the rural housing shortage was 13.72 million consisting of 3.41 million households without houses and 10.31 million living in unserviceable kutcha houses. It has also been estimated that another 10.75 million houses would be needed to cover the population growth during 1991-2002, at the rate of an annual growth of 0.89 million houseless ness. The 1991 Census further indicates that about 40.82% of the total of 112 million rural households remains in one-room tenements, 30.65% in two-room houses and 13.51% in three-room units or more. In terms of roof type, the percentage of houses having grass, straw and thatch is about 33%, mud and unburnt bricks 6.05% and tents 4.22%. Apart from this, in terms of quality of walling, 47.27% of the total households have grass and straw walls and about 4% have tent and cloth walls. Nearly 70% of the rural houses are either unserviceable kutcha (9%) or serviceable kutcha (25%) or of semi-pucca (35%) category as per Census 1991. Over 90% of the rural houses have no provision for toilet as per the Census 1991. This suggests that there is a clear correlation between poverty and housing: a poor person either does not have a house or lives in an unserviceable kutcha house. The Central Government announced in 1998, the National Housing and Habitat Policy which aims at providing 'Housing for All', with an emphasis on extending benefits to the poor and the deprived.
Government is committed to the goal of ending all “shelter-less ness” by the end of the Ninth Plan period and conversion of all unserviceable kutcha houses to pucca/semi pucca by the end of the Tenth Plan Period. For achieving these objectives, a comprehensive Action Plan for Rural Housing has gone on-stream.
The Action Plan for Rural Housing consists of the following elements:
Provision for up-gradation of unserviceable kutcha houses in
Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) in addition to new construction.
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana: Gramin Awaas
Credit-cum-Subsidy Scheme for Rural Housing
Innovative Stream for Rural Housing & Habitat Development
Rural Building Centres.
Samagra Awaas Yojana.
Enhancement in equity contribution by Ministry of Rural Development to HUDCO.
National Mission for Rural Housing & Habitat.

Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (Gramin Awaas)

This Scheme is part of the comprehensive Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana introduced during the current year to achieve the objective of sustainable human development at the village level. The PMGY envisages allocation of Additional Central Assistance (ACA) to the States and UTs for providing /improving the outlay of Basic
Minimum Services including "Rural Shelter" in the rural areas. During 2000-2001, Rs. 375 crores has been made available for implementing the "Rural Shelter" component of the comprehensive PMGY Scheme. The Ministry of Rural Development is the nodal Ministry for implementation and monitoring of the Scheme. The Scheme is to be implemented on the pattern of Indira Awaas Yojana. Guidelines for implementation of the Scheme have already been finalized and circulated to the State Governments/Union Territories for claiming Additional Central Assistance for implementation of the Scheme. The Additional Central Assistance is releasable to the State Governments/Union Territories on their submitting specific project proposals. The proposals are scrutinized by a Committee constituted in this Ministry and on its recommendations, funds released to the State Governments/Union Territories by Ministry of Finance for implementing the Scheme. A few proposals have already been received and after the approval of the Committee constituted for the purpose have been referred to the Ministry of Finance for releasing funds. The Ministry of Finance has issued orders for releasing 1st instalment of grant to all State Governments for meeting their requirements for first six months on adhoc basis, as a special case. The total amount thus released is Rs.185 crores.