The Centre on Tuesday requested state governments to extend the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to disadvantaged workers, to ensure social justice and enhance ease of living.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment said it has issued a letter to all state governments, urging the inclusion of migrant workers, building workers, beedi workers, cine workers, non-coal mine workers, contract labourers and other unorganised workers under the housing scheme.
The decision follows the Union Cabinet's approval to extend the implementation of PMAY for an additional five years -- from FY24-25 to FY2028-29, with the aim of providing 2 crore additional houses to eligible beneficiaries.
In a statement, the ministry emphasised that these workers represent a disadvantaged section of society and ensuring their coverage under PMAY is not only a matter of social justice but also a necessary step towards improving their living conditions.
In addition, the government has announced that the management information system (MIS) portal, launched on August 21 for building and construction and migrant workers, is now fully operational.
“The portal has been designed to facilitate the collection and analysis of data including information on fund utilisation and workers’ coverage under various central and state social security schemes, such as insurance, health benefits, and housing schemes,” the government informed.
Reiterating the importance of a concerted effort towards the upliftment of these marginalised workers, the ministry also instructed welfare commissioners posted in various states to collaborate closely with local authorities to ensure the successful implementation of these initiatives.
“This move is expected to significantly improve the lives of millions of workers, ensuring they receive the housing and social security benefits they rightfully deserve,” said the ministry.
The government has so far released Rs 1.64 lakh crore to all states and Union Territories (UTs) under PMAY-U for constructing houses for the poor in urban areas. PMAY-U is a demand-driven scheme and the Union government has not fixed any target for construction of houses.
Over 89 lakh houses under the scheme for the poor have been allotted to women to date.
Shashi Tharoor to visit US, Owaisi heads to Saudi Arabia over Pahalgam attack
Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will head to the US, while the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will visit Saudi Arabia to expose Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack and to underline India's firm stance against terrorism.
MEA refutes Rahul Gandhi’s claim on Op-Sindoor: 'EAM was misquoted, no prior warning to Pak'
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on Saturday refuting claims that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had asserted India informed Pakistan in advance about Operation Sindoor. The ministry denounced such assertions as a blatant distortion of facts.
Senior IPS officer Anurag appointed new Tripura Police Chief
The Tripura government, on Saturday, appointed Anurag Dhankar, an IPS officer of 1994 batch cadre, as the state's Director General of Police (DGP) replacing Amitabh Ranjan, officials said.
HM Amit Shah hails Operation Sindoor as a turning point in India's security doctrine
Home Minister Amit Shah, on a two-day visit to his home state Gujarat, said on Saturday that Operation Sindoor marked a historic shift in India’s national security response. He emphasised that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisive leadership, Indian armed forces struck deep into Pakistani territory, dismantling terrorist infrastructure.
India restricts entry of ready-made garments, processed food from Bangladesh
In a significant trade policy shift, India on Saturday restricted the import of ready-made garments (RMG), processed food and other items from Bangladesh to India via land ports, effective immediately.
NE region’s largest dairy unit inaugurated in Tripura to boost milk production
Northeast region’s largest dairy unit was jointly inaugurated in Tripura on Saturday by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
IT Ministry, Tripura DIT discuss AI’s role in citizen-focused governance framework
Senior government officials have underscored the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionising governance paradigms, reiterating AI’s growing relevance in enabling data-driven policymaking, augmenting service delivery mechanisms, and optimising administrative efficiency, IT Ministry said on Saturday.
Tripura Govt to establish three more general degree colleges
To ensure enhanced access to higher education, the BJP led coalition government in Tripura has decided to establish three new general degree colleges.