PM Awas Yojana: Lakhs of families dreaming of a permanent house in the villages of Bihar are worried these days. The payment of installments under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) has suddenly stopped. The result is that the house construction of more than 10 lakh selected beneficiaries is stuck midway. This crisis has arisen after the central government changed the process of distribution of funds. Now the beneficiaries will have to wait till the new system is implemented.
Construction stalled due to the stoppage of installments
Officials of the state’s Rural Development Department say that the payment of funds has been stopped for the last two weeks. The central government has recently changed the financial process of this scheme. Under the earlier system, the state government used to withdraw the amount and deposit it in banks, and from there it was sent to the accounts of the beneficiaries. But now, according to the rules, this payment will be made directly through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Technical changes are being made in the “Awas Soft” portal to connect it with the new system. This is the reason why the construction work has been completely stopped for the time being. Officials estimate that it may take at least 10 to 15 more days for the new system to come into effect. This is directly affecting those families whose house foundation has been filled, but the work cannot proceed without waiting for the next installment.
More than 12 lakh beneficiaries are waiting
A large number of concrete houses were approved in Bihar for the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. About seven and a half lakh houses were approved in the last year alone, while about five and a half lakh more were approved in April this year. Later, some names were removed from the list, but still, at present, 12 lakh 26 thousand 428 families are part of this scheme.
Out of these, about 12 lakh families have got approval to build houses. However, the pace of construction work is very slow. So far, only 15 percent, i.e., about 1.81 lakh houses, have been completely built. On the other hand, the first installment has been paid to 11 lakh 36 thousand families, but the wait for the remaining two installments continues.
Amount is given in three installments
Under this scheme, every beneficiary is given the amount in three phases. Every time an installment of 40 thousand rupees is received. Initially, after receiving the first installment, the work on the foundation and wall is done. The work of putting the roof is completed on the second installment, and the house is completely ready with the last installment. For the families whose construction is stuck in the middle, this delay is proving to be very heavy.
Increased difficulties for families
The purpose of this scheme in rural areas is to provide a roof to poor and homeless families. Most of the beneficiaries run their homes by labor or small jobs. In such a situation, they cannot bear the cost of building a house on their own. After receiving the first installment, many families built the wall, but the work was stalled due to the stoppage of the second installment. In the rainy season, the incomplete houses look like ruins, and the families are forced to live in the old kutcha houses.
The Finance Department is making preparations
The state government says that the process of implementing the new payment system decided by the Center is going on. The Finance Department and the Rural Development Department are jointly making technical changes so that the amount reaches the beneficiaries’ accounts directly through the RBI. Officials have indicated that the payment will resume soon, but it may take one or two more weeks.
Expectations still remain
Even though the payment of installments has stopped, the expectations related to the scheme have not diminished. People in rural areas still believe that this scheme will bring a big change in their lives. The families who have built the wall of a pucca house for the first time are hopeful that their dream house will be completed soon.