Goa Nears PMAY Housing Target with 250 of 254 Houses Completed

Panaji, Jul 3 (PTI) — The Goa government has achieved significant progress in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), with 250 houses completed out of a targeted 254 for eligible beneficiaries, an official disclosed on Thursday.

The ambitious project, designed to deliver affordable housing, has been executed at a cost of Rs 3.4 crore, according to the official.

P K Shirodkar, the nodal officer overseeing the scheme and the director of the District Rural Development Agency, stated that the target was to construct 254 houses across the state.

"We have completed 250 houses so far, adhering meticulously to all required procedures under the scheme," Shirodkar mentioned. "The remaining four houses are slated for completion within the next two to three months."

Under Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's leadership, the Goa government has invested Rs 3.4 crore into this endeavor, he confirmed.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a flagship initiative of the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to provide affordable housing to all eligible rural households.

The scheme funding is shared between the Centre and the state in a 60:40 ratio, with the Government of India covering 60 percent and the local government contributing the remainder.

The official suggested that funding under this scheme should increase from the current Rs 1.2 lakh due to the higher construction costs in Goa compared to other states.

"For instance, constructing a 50 sq metre house requires between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh minimally," the official explained.

With the target nearing completion, a survey of eligible beneficiaries for the current financial year has been conducted by the state government, Shirodkar reported.

Mathura Vithal Desai from the remote Advalpal village in Bicholim taluka, North Goa district, praised the scheme, sharing that her family's mud house was in dire need of repair, often plagued with issues, especially during the rainy season.

"We even had snakes entering our house," she recalled. "The financial assistance from PMAY, along with our savings, allowed us to build a new house."

Rohini Rohidas Kuttikar from Odlebhat, St Cruz near Panaji, echoed similar sentiments, attributing their ability to construct a house to the government's support under the PMAY scheme.

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