The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 25th July 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 An Outlining of Urban Transformation Strategies

Why in News?

Cities are home to about 50 crore people, accounting for about 36% of India’s population. The urban population has been growing at a steady pace of 2% to 2.5% annually. The ever-growing pace of urbanisation in India calls for sustained investments, with a vision and determination. The maiden Budget of the new government has recognised cities as the growth hubs and offered many options and opportunities for the planned development and the growth of cities. 

• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a flagship initiative by the Indian government, aims to ensure “Housing for All” by 2024. The two wings under these are Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

Urban Hurdles

• Land Scarcity and High Costs: One of the major issues in cities is the lack of available land, especially in busy urban areas.
• Complex Approval Processes: Elaborate and bureaucratic procedures for obtaining land, planning construction, and getting permissions can cause significant delays in starting projects.
• Poor Property Records and Beneficiary Identification: Many potential recipients, such as people living in slums or informal settlements, don't have proper documents to prove land ownership.

Rural Hurdles

• Geographical Accessibility: Rural areas often face challenges due to being far away from cities and lacking good connections. This makes it hard to get construction materials, find skilled workers, and access project locations.
• Lack of Awareness and Documentation: In rural areas, many people who could benefit from PMAY don't know about it or don't have the right paperwork to get its advantages. Things like not being able to read, not having information spread out, and needing a lot of documents make it tough to get housing help and loans.

About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana:

• The government has agreed to support the construction of 3 crore new houses in both rural and urban areas under PMAY.
• PMAY consists of two parts: PMAY-U for urban residents in need and PMAY-G and PMAY-R for those in rural areas.

PMAY-U (Urban):

•  Objective: To offer housing for everyone in cities.
• Beneficiaries: Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low-Income Group (LIG), and Middle-Income Group (MIG).
• Subsidy Schemes: 
  • Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme: Gives interest help on home loans for EWS, LIG, and MIG.
  • In-Situ Slum Redevelopment: Uses land to provide homes for suitable slum residents.
  • Affordable Housing in Partnership: Encourages collaborations with the public and private sectors to offer affordable housing.
  • Beneficiary-Led Construction: Offers financial aid to individuals to build or improve their own homes.

PMAY-G (Gramin):

•  Objective: To provide strongpucca house with basic amenities to all rural families who are homeless or living in kutcha or dilapidated houses.
• Beneficiaries: Identified using the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
• Features: 
  • Financial Assistance: Rs. 1.2 lakh in plain areas and Rs. 1.3 lakh in hilly, difficult, and Integrated Action Plan (IAP) areas.
  • Construction: Houses are to be built by beneficiaries with technical help from the government.
  • Convergence with other schemes: Encourages merging with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) for toilet construction, and MGNREGA for wage employment.

Impact on Overall Success of Housing Policies

• Delay in achieving targets: Projects are taking too long to finish and finding people who should benefit is slow. This means fewer houses are built than planned.
  Example: The PMAY-U wanted to make homes for 1.18 crore families by December 2024. By March 2024, they only reached about 67% of this goal, which is around 80 lakh families. 
• Increase cost of housing: If we don't address these problems, building homes could get more expensive. This might lead to poor quality, delays, overspending, and some needy people missing out on homes. This keeps poor and homeless cycles going, going against the government's aim to provide everyone with good, affordable housing. 

Conclusion

A right to housing is considered a part of the fundamental right to life according to Article 21 of the Constitution, as determined by the Supreme Court. By tackling these difficulties and enacting effective remedies, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has the potential to genuinely deliver on its commitment of ensuring "Housing for All" and making a substantial difference in the lives of millions of Indian citizens.

Not in Order 

Why in News?

The Supreme Court of India on Monday stopped the enforcement of directives is sued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that required food stalls on the route of the Kanwar Yatra— an increasingly popular pilgrimage that Shiva devotees under take — to prominently exhibit the names and other identity details of their owners and employees. Petitioners argued that the directives would result in discriminatory outcomes, besides negating the secular character of the country.

About Kanwar Yatra 

• It is a yearly journey in Hinduism done by followers of Lord Shiva, called Kanvarias or Bhole.
• Usually happens in July or August, known as the month of Sawan.
• Kanwar Yatra is when devotees go to sacred places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri, Sultanganj, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Varanasi.
• They return with water from the Ganges in kanwars for Shiva's blessings.
• The water is given at various temples, including the 12 Jyotirlingas and other shrines.
• Offerings are made at local temples afterward.
• Many believe the water should not touch the ground once the pot is filled.
• Devotees walk barefoot and some even lie flat during the pilgrimage.
• They wear saffron clothes during the journey.
• Fasting is common, and they limit food, water, and salt intake.