Centre urges states to include marginalised under PMAY

New Delhi: The Union government on Tuesday requested all state governments to extend the benefit 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.