Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Policy Review

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), launched in 2015, represents India's most ambitious affordable housing initiative, targeting "Housing for All" through two parallel streams PMAY-Urban and PMAY-Gramin. This policy review examines the scheme's legislative foundations, operational objectives, enforcement mechanisms, and real-time implementation outcomes across urban and rural India. Drawing on official dashboards, PIB data, and a district-level case study of Bhagalpur, Bihar, the paper finds that while PMAY has achieved notable scale  with over 89 lakh urban houses completed by December 2024 — significant gaps persist between sanctioned and completed units, particularly in southern states. The review identifies systemic challenges including delays in fund disbursement, beneficiary selection discrepancies, outdated exclusion criteria, and inadequate stakeholder coordination. It recommends adopting blockchain-based monitoring, viability gap funding, streamlined disbursement mechanisms, and greater participation of Gram Sabhas and Urban Local Bodies to enhance scheme efficacy and ensure the program's inclusive development goals are fully realized.