Sanctioned 1 crore homes under PM Awas Yojana for urban areas, says Hardeep Singh Puri

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said that the Centre has sanctioned more than one crore houses for urban areas under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (U) as of this date.

"Out of a validated demand of 1.12 crore houses in urban areas, 1 crore houses have already been sanctioned. Further, a total of 57 lakh houses are in various stages of construction of which, nearly 30 lakh houses have been completed," Puri said at a press conference here.

"I also want to add that we will be able to achieve the target of the 1.12 crore houses in the next four months," he added.

The Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (Independent Charge) said that Uttar Pradesh had performed the best when it came to states reaching out to the Centre for affordable housing being provided to its citizens.

"Uttar Pradesh's performance has been commendable, today it comes next to Andhra Pradesh for its participation in the scheme," he said.

According to a press release by PIB, Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs informed that "the Mission has covered a range of social groups which comprises of around 5.8 lakh senior citizens, 2 lakh construction workers, 1.5 lakh domestic workers, 1.5 lakh artisans, 0.63 lakh differently abled (Divyang), 770 transgender and 500 leprosy patients as of now."

"Empowerment of women is an inbuilt design of the scheme where the ownership of the house is in the name of the female head of household or in the joint name," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )