PMAY(U) scheme performing well in Kashmir: Er. Hakim Muzamil
Nodal Officer for PMAY(U) Mission J&K, Engineer Hakim Muzamil is a dynamic officer. In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, he talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.
Why is still less awareness about the PMAY (U) in our part of the world?
Under our realm comes Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission launched on 25th June 2015 all over India which intends to provide housing for all in urban areas by year 2022.In this housing scheme for all urban and extended planning areas are covered. The awareness of this scheme is there. Ministry had not kept the IEC component so we were not able to aware masses via print, electronic or social media. The awareness was done through general Radio and TV. When forms were issued almost all applied without looking into the eligibility criteria. We had received about one lac twenty one thousand six hundred 71 application from aspiring Beneficiaries. What are the components and overall eligibility criteria? There are four components. The first is BLC which means Beneficiary Lead Construction in which total about 1.66 lac are provided to Beneficiary of which 90 percent that is about 1.50 lac is provided by the central Government and ten percent that is sixteen thousand by the state or UT government. The first installment of forty one thousand the beneficiary gets on plinth that is forty one thousand six hundred sixty six , second on lintel, third on slab and last fourth one. The most forms here came from Srinagar and most eligible were from here. The basic eligibility was that one should from EWS means economically weaker section with annual income not more than 3 lac. The number two is housing condition should be poor meaning ranging from weak structure to unsafe house. The beneficiary should be state subject and should have own land not govt land. Besides he should not have his house here or any where in the country. We have 52,210 beneficiary been approved across state of Jammu and Kashmir by the ministry and payment for 39 thousand has been received so far 6 to 7 thousand houses stand completed with complete payment given. This shows that people are aware about the scheme and is delivering great results. The second component AHP affordable Housing Partnership is the one wherein we are lagging behind . It Entailed covering those who do not have both land as well as house. Finance Department is yet to give clearance and Jammu and Kashmir is behind in implementing this and we are hopeful that with new housing policy coming into existence it will take off in big way. The third component is Slum Redevelopment and we had in area like Srinagar thirteen declared Slum zones by SMC. The bottleneck in this is that in many Slum areas the existing housing condition is quite fine ranging in millions. Plus in many areas the Slum areas illegal occupation of Government land has taken place. Jammu and Kashmir is asking for some relaxation and they are being given with many coming to implement this component soon. The fourth Component is CLSS Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme and in this Beneficiary takes loan. The loans are provided to Economic Weaker Section having income upto three lac , low income group having income upto 6 lac, middle income group having income group having income upto 9 lac, and fourth category having income upto 12 lac. They have to get proper building permission from concerned authority. The subsidy is high for those who fall in low income groups and less in case of having more income.The high income groups get though more amount in loan.The loan has to be liquidated in easy installment over fifteen years. More about statistics on those who have taken benefit?In BLC component we have about fifty two thousand hundred ten beneficiaries stand approved out of which financial assistance for 39000 has come . Twenty thousand beneficiary in Srinagar district has been approved and field data for 5700 houses in Srinagar has come.
The question is urban poverty more crushing in Downtown Srinagar, what about same?
Maximum beneficiary are from downtown about 60 to 70 percent. The issue in downtown is many families do not have land, and many families living in same house and due to limited financial assistance they are not able to make their houses. Those living in downtown who have land especially outside downtown are able to fulfil their dreams of housing via this scheme.
What is your paradigm of survey? In our urban scheme the data is taken from the latest population. In this PMAY U the Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag are majorly getting benefited.
When will the beneficiary amount of this 1.66 lac be raised in Jammu and Kashmir ? This will be raised soon by at least one lac. The ministry has thankfully given approval and in two months time it is reality .
How can new beneficiary apply?The beneficiary can apply via online portal and for which component he or she is eligible they would apply. They don’t need to come office. When beneficiary applies in citizen chapter and that state or UT automatically gets that data base downloaded. The beneficiary can also apply from our office or housing board, deputy commissioner office or from municipality office .What is the one improvement you would like to see in scheme in Jammu and Kashmir? Yes a good question. Here the financial assistance meant for beneficiary goes through eight departments and this causes delays and bottlenecks. The places outside Jammu and Kashmir get the finance just to one single nodal agency and we are hopeful same would be happening here to make scheme more effective and efficient