To provide affordable housing to the economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society, Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday, approved the ‘Mukhya Mantri Shehri Awas Yojana’ policy. Under this policy, housing facilities will be extended to all poor families in the state who either lack their own house in urban areas or currently reside in kutcha houses. Initially, this initiative plans to provide housing to one lakh EWS families.

The government official spokesperson said that to be eligible, beneficiaries must have a verified annual family income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh as per the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) and should not own a pucca house in any urban area of Haryana. The policy includes provisions for a 1 Marla (30 square yard) plot for each eligible family, allowing them to construct their own pucca houses. The state government, through the Department of Housing for All, will provide the necessary land.

The scheme, primarily state-sponsored, will integrate with the beneficiary-led construction (BLC) vertical of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U). It targets families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh who registered in the demand survey conducted via the Department of Housing For All's web portal from September 13, 2023, to October 19, 2023, and January 5, 2024, to January 19, 2024. Preference will be given to beneficiaries in the following order: Ghumantu Jati, Widows, Scheduled Castes, and others.

Approves scheme to provide affordable, quality rural housing

The Cabinet also decided to implement Mukhya Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (MMGAY) on the lines of Mukhya Mantri Shehri Awas Yojana to ensure that all rural residents of Haryana have access to a habitable and affordable dwelling unit.

Spokesperson said that Mukhya Mantri Gramin Awas Yojna aimed to provide affordable, quality rural housing, fostering sustainable development and vibrant communities. Through strategic planning and transparent governance, MMGAY aimed to make homeownership a reality for every rural resident, enhancing overall well-being and prosperity.

Under the scheme, financial assistance of maximum of Rs one lakh or actual price of the plot whichever is less, for the purchase of his own residential plot of up to 100 square yards will be provided to those beneficiaries whom possession of plot cannot be delivered under Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana (MGGBY).

MMGAY will be implemented for the year 2024-25 and 2025-26. The Rural Development Department will provide the list of beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana to whom possession of 100 square yards plot cannot be delivered.

Village Badanpur, Sunderpura shifted from Tehsil Uchana to Narwana

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to shift villages Badanpur and Sunderpura from Tehsil Uchana to Tehsil Narwana in Jind district. Now, the tehsil and sub-division headquarters of these villages will be Narwana.

Approves Ordinance to further amend 1961 Village Common Lands Act

The Cabinet accorded approval to bring an ordinance to further amend the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act 1961. According to the proposed amendment, ownership of land in shamlat deh, which were allotted on lease basis for a period of 20 years under the East Punjab Utilization of Lands Act, 1949, and the said land has been in cultivating possession of the original allottee, transferee or their legal heir is slated to be excluded from the ambit of shamlat deh with immediate effect.

Nod to amendment HSGMC (Delimitation of Wards and Election) Rules, 2023

The Cabinet has also approved amendment in Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras Management Committee (Delimitation of Wards and Election) Rules, 2023. Earlier, there was a provision of paying Rs 100 and Rs 500 for inclusion of name in the electoral roll, which has now been removed.  The Cabinet also accorded approval for the amendment in Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014, to enhance the qualifications for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission’s chairman to ensure more effective and authoritative supervision of Sikh Gurdwaras and Gurdwara properties within the state.