Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is India's largest housing scheme — 4.95 crore houses targeted, two parallel programs (Gramin + Urban), and a 2024 expansion (PMAY 2.0) adding 3 crore more houses. This is the single most-asked-about welfare scheme on RTI Wiki. Here's everything you need — eligibility, subsidy, application, status check, what to do when stuck.
===== What is PMAY ===== {#what-is-pmay}
PMAY is the Government of India's flagship “Housing for All” scheme. It replaced the older Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Rajiv Awas Yojana on 1 April 2016 (Gramin) and 25 June 2015 (Urban).
Its goal: build pucca houses with basic amenities (toilet, water, electricity, LPG) for every eligible family. Two ministries run two parallel programs:
The original mandate (2015–2022) covered ~3 crore houses. PMAY 2.0, approved by the Union Cabinet on 9 August 2024 and launched on 1 September 2024, adds 3 crore more houses through 2029.
===== PMAY-G vs PMAY-U — what's the difference ===== {#pmay-g-vs-pmay-u}
| Feature | PMAY-G (Gramin) | PMAY-U 2.0 (Urban) |
| Scope | Rural areas (per Census definition) | Urban local bodies (Municipal/Nagar) |
| Beneficiary base | SECC 2011 + Awas+ list | Self-declared income (EWS/LIG/MIG) |
| Subsidy mode | Direct cash transfer (DBT) | 4 verticals: BLC, AHP, ARHC, ISS |
| Max subsidy | ₹1.20 / ₹1.30 lakh | ₹2.50 lakh + ISS up to ₹1.80 lakh |
| Income test | None (SECC-based) | Yes (EWS ≤ ₹3 L; up to MIG-2 ₹18 L) |
| Implementing body | State Rural Dev Dept → BDO | State Urban Dev Authority → CMO |
| Land requirement | Must own / possess land | Optional (verticals differ) |
| Mobile app | AwaasApp (geo-tagging) | PMAY-U mobile app |
| MGNREGA convergence | Yes — 90 person-days | No |
| Toilet | Separate ₹12,000 from SBM | Built-in to vertical scheme |
| Status portal | awaassoft.nic.in | pmay-urban.gov.in |
===== PMAY 2.0 — what's new in Sept 2024 ===== {#pmay-2-0}
The Cabinet Note dated 9 August 2024 approved PMAY 2.0 with these key changes:
===== Eligibility — am I eligible? ===== {#eligibility}
You're eligible if all are true:
→ Check your PMAY status now · Master RTI guide for PMAY
===== Subsidy amounts — how much will I get? ===== {#subsidy-amounts}
| Region | Total subsidy | Released in |
| Plain areas | ₹1,20,000 | 3 instalments: 25% sanction · 60% post-foundation · 15% post-completion + geo-tag |
| Hilly / Difficult / IAP | ₹1,30,000 | Same staging, higher base |
| Plus convergence | ||
| MGNREGA (labour) | ~₹22,000–28,000 | 90 person-days at state wage rate |
| SBM (toilet) | ₹12,000 | Separate scheme |
Effective total: ₹1.55 – 1.70 lakh (when you claim all convergence benefits).
| Vertical | Subsidy / Benefit |
| BLC | up to ₹2.50 lakh in 4 instalments (sanction + foundation + lintel + completion) |
| AHP | Government builds; sale price at ₹2.50 lakh subsidy below market |
| ARHC | Rental subsidy (varies by city; not a one-time grant) |
| ISS (Interest Subsidy) | 5% interest subsidy on home loan up to ₹25 lakh value, max ₹1.80 lakh subsidy disbursed in 5 annual instalments to reduce loan principal |
===== How to apply — step by step ===== {#how-to-apply}
Alternative: walk-in to your Town Planning office / Municipal Corporation / DUDA — most accept paper applications and digitise on your behalf.
===== Documents you need ===== {#documents}
→ Full PMAY documents checklist with download templates
===== Status check — Gramin + Urban ===== {#status-check}
→ Full status-check guide with screenshots + RTI escalation
===== How to read the beneficiary list ===== {#beneficiary-list}
If you want to see everyone in your panchayat / ward who got PMAY:
For PMAY-U, Open Government Data Portal hosts a JSON dataset under data.gov.in — search “PMAY beneficiary”.
→ How to read + verify the PMAY beneficiary list (with anti-fraud tips)
===== If your application is stuck ===== {#stuck}
| Symptom | Most-likely cause | Fix |
| “Not Eligible” | Not in SECC 2011 / Awas+ | State SPWL or Awas+ verification |
| Eligible but no sanction in 90+ days | Slow district queue OR fake beneficiary blocking | RTI to BDO/CMO |
| 1st instalment not received | Aadhaar–bank link missing | Branch visit |
| 2nd/3rd instalment held | Geo-tag not uploaded | Patwari/JE visit |
| Construction complete but final not released | Final geo-tag pending | RTI demanding inspection date |
| Wrong amount credited | DBT mismatch | Bank + RBI Banking Ombudsman |
| Status shows someone else's name | Beneficiary list manipulation | RTI for full list + State Vigilance |
===== How to file a free RTI when PMAY is stuck ===== {#rti}
The published SLA is 60–90 days for sanction. If status is stuck beyond it, you have a statutory right under §6 RTI Act, 2005 — authority must reply within 30 days (§7(1)). Default fee ₹10. BPL applicants pay nothing (§7(5)).
File RTI to: Block Development Officer (Gramin) / Commissioner Municipal (Urban) + State Mission Director PMAY
Ask these 7 questions:
→ 🪄 Use the free AI RTI Drafter — drafts your §6(1) application in 60 seconds. Pre-fills your name, fee statement, the 7 questions.
→ 🎤 AwaazRTI — speak in Hindi/regional
→ ⚖ First Appeal Builder — for Day 31 if PIO doesn't reply.
===== FAQ — 15 most-asked questions ===== {#faq}
Most often no — but if you were added through the Awas+ 2018 survey app, you are eligible under PMAY-G expansion. Several states (Maharashtra Awas Yojana, TN CMAY, Kerala LIFE, Telangana Double Bedroom) have separate post-SECC mechanisms.
₹18 lakh annual household income (MIG-2 cap, for ISS only). For BLC/AHP construction subsidy, the cap is ₹6 lakh (LIG ceiling). EWS (≤ ₹3 L) gets priority allotment.
No. They cover different geographies. Your residence determines which one. Government records are linked across schemes via Aadhaar.
Yes — both Gramin and Urban require Aadhaar (or Aadhaar enrolment number with proof). Without Aadhaar–bank link, DBT cannot release.
No — Indian residents only. NRI status disqualifies. Aadhaar requires resident status under FEMA.
60–90 days is the published SLA for sanction post-eligibility. Construction completion takes 12–18 months typically.
For BLC/AHP, the construction subsidy is independent of bank loan. For ISS (interest subsidy), denial of bank loan kills the subsidy. Apply with another bank/NBFC; ISS works with any RBI-regulated lender.
No — only one PMAY per household. Joint application (in wife's name OR jointly with husband) is allowed and encouraged (mandatory for EWS/LIG).
Inter-city transfer is not allowed; you withdraw and re-apply. Inter-state transfer also requires fresh application.
File RTI to BDO/CMO for: (a) completion certificate status, (b) final geo-tag report, © inspecting officer name + date. Most stuck-completion cases resolve once final geo-tag photo is uploaded.
No — only for new construction or upgradation of kutcha / semi-pucca to pucca. Extension of pucca house is not covered.
PMAY-G beneficiary gets 90 person-days of MGNREGA wages for labour on her own house (~₹22,000–28,000). Apply at Gram Panchayat with MGNREGA job card. The wages don't reduce the ₹1.20 lakh PMAY subsidy — they're additional.
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) was the predecessor (1985–2016). PMAY-G replaced it on 1 April 2016 with: SECC-based eligibility (was BPL), higher subsidy (was ₹70k), geo-tagging, DBT, MGNREGA convergence.
Common reasons: Aadhaar mismatch, duplicate record, voluntary surrender, post-verification ineligibility. File RTI for cancellation reason under §4(1)(d) RTI Act — authority must give reasoned order.
File complaint with: (a) State Vigilance Commission, (b) District Magistrate, © Lokayukta. Parallel RTI for the full beneficiary list of your panchayat. Whistleblower protection applies under PIDPI Act 2014 if you fear retaliation.
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Last reviewed: 3 May 2026 — RTI Wiki editorial team. Statutory citations + portal URLs verified against primary government sources.