Beneficiaries to pay one-fourth of share; Poor hit hard by revised PMAY scheme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The revised scheme suggests that the beneficiaries will have to pay one-fourth of the share under the central housing scheme for cities. That is, out of the total of four lakh allowed by the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (city), one lakh has to be paid by the beneficiary. This is not for the first phase.

Earlier, the centre provided one and a half lakh, the state government one lakh, and the municipality half a lakh. The revised norms of the central government have mounted liability on the poor section of society. Currently, the central share is one and a half lakh rupees, the state share is 50,000 rupees, and the municipality share is two lakh rupees. While the central share remained the same, the state share was doubled. But the municipality share was reduced to one-fourth, and the beneficiary will have to pay this.

The cabinet meeting decided to approve the new provision and sign a memorandum of understanding with the central government. If the second phase is not implemented, the central share of 450 crores will be lost. In the second phase, houses will be constructed and provided to 30,000 homeless people who own land. The first phase will be completed on September 30.

Heavy liability

• Finding a 25 per cent share will be a blow to the poor who are building houses within the municipal limits
• Those who vye to complete the project by taking loans will also have to pay the project share

The Prime Minister's photo should not be placed in front of the houses under the PMAY scheme. Instead, the emblem of the scheme should be placed. Chief Minister VD Satheesan said that the MoU with the Centre is being signed on the basis of this condition.