Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government kickstarted an extensive housing survey for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the state on Friday.
Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik formally launched the survey from Arjunsinghpur village of Jasuapur Gram Panchayat under Pipili block in Puri district. The Minister interacted with the beneficiaries on the occasion. The survey was being conducted through mobile app.
Families with two-wheelers, refrigerators, and landline phones can also be included in the survey. The family income limit has been increased to Rs 15,000.
Stating that certain eligibility criteria for availing benefit under the scheme have been relaxed, the Minister said families with two-wheelers, refrigerators and landline phones will now be included in the survey. The family income limit has also been increased to Rs 15,000 per month.
Similarly, individuals who have separated from their families will be accommodated in the upcoming survey. People staying away from their parents or wives living independently from their husbands will be considered for inclusion in the scheme.
This apart, people who had applied earlier but are still waiting for allotment of houses can also reapply, he said.
Stating that the application process has been simplified, the Minister said eligible beneficiaries can apply for availing the PMAY benefits through both offline and online platforms. The online portal will be activated on the first day of the survey.
Naik said people can apply for availing benefit under the scheme themselves through the Panchayat or a mobile application. The government has updated the eligibility criteria and also removed application fees to ensure maximum registration among eligible beneficiaries, he said.
As the survey will continue for six to eight weeks, the number of houses will be raised from two crore to three crore. The state-wide survey aims to account for all eligible residents, who were initially left out, to secure housing support.
The Minister had earlier stated in the Assembly that over 50,963 outstanding applications will be considered in a new survey. It was stated that 28.25 lakh households have been approved under the scheme, while around 23 lakh homes having been constructed.
