Maharashtra Govt to use audio, mobile medium to reach PMAY beneficiaries

By Vikas Vaidya

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) received overwhelming response all over the Maharashtra. Though it got 24 lakh applications against the target of 19.4 lakh set by the State, the Government wants to increase its reach through audio-visual medium. It is also planning to introduce mobile app through which people can have easy access.
The sanctioning of houses is in progress but Government is still not satisfied as far as reaching to beneficiaries is concerned. One Government official on condition of anonymity admitted with ‘The Hitavada’ that Government was publishing advertisements to make people aware but found that it was not enough. In fact in Nagpur hard efforts to attract the slumdwellers did not yield good result. Nagpur Municipal Corporation had surveyed in 2016, and on the basis of it, the aggressive campaign through advertisements was done. The promotion vehicles took rounds of slums and other areas, the temporary offices were set up in all the 10 zones where the executives used to inform people about the various schemes being run by Government.
Considering this aspect, now Government wants to make people aware about PMAY through audio medium. The aspect is under consideration but it has not taken any decision on it. Reliable sources in CMO told ‘The Hitavada’ that Government would be using Radio medium to reach people with various projects under PMAY. Nowadays radio is being listened even in cars, buses, in taxis so if the complete scheme is told on it, it would go to masses. In rural and small districts radio is listened extensively.
Lokesh Chandra, Managing Director of CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited) has disclosed with ‘The Hitavada’ that Government was also planning to introduce mobile app through which people could have easy access. They could know the details about the scheme in a simple manner. Lokesh Chandra said, “Nowadays, everybody has mobile and people of all sections are able to handle the apps. Government in the past also introduced its various schemes on such apps. Reaching to the masses through audio is also a very good idea.”
While talking to ‘The Hitavada’ Maharashtra Chief Minister has made it clear that Maharashtra was a leading state when it comes to implementing PMAY and under this housing scheme, the state would be building 6.5 lakh houses by 2022.
In State, over 6.5 lakh  houses under PMAY got sanction. At this juncture the construction of 1,02,218 houses is in progress. Government had appointed one study group that had submitted the reported according to which there are 19.4 lakh beneficiaries in State. Over 24 lakh people have applied for the Affordable Housing Plan (AHP) on website. There is a Citizen facilitation centre where people can send their queries about the schemes.
Fadnavis said, “We have identified the lands in various parts of Maharashtra where the construction of the houses is underway and we expect the good results by October.”
Recently, Central Government has approved construction of 2.67 lakh more affordable houses for the poor, under which Maharashtra got 52,935 housing units. With the sanctioning of 2,67,546 more housing units, the total number of houses under PMAY has gone up to 53,74,306.
Fadnavis Government also did one good thing by increasing vastness of the PMAY by introducing Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Fadnavis appealed to avail the benefit as they would be getting well-built houses in minimum cost. “As per our promises we have prioritised PMAY. Constructing house is every family’s dream and we are making that dream true. At the same time we will go through the companies which have earned their names for the quality construction,” pointed out Fadnavis.