Odisha has approved 2,91,666 additional houses under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana and extended the state housing scheme’s implementation period by two years to 2029, in a move aimed at covering vulnerable households left out of central housing programmes.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved the expansion, while the total project outlay will remain unchanged at Rs 7,550 crore, Pragativadi reported. The decision revises the scheme’s housing and funding structure without increasing its overall allocation.
Under the revised plan, Rs 3,500 crore previously earmarked for the repair component will be reallocated to construct new houses. The Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department has been directed to conduct a quick survey to identify additional eligible beneficiaries.
The revised eligibility norms will include beneficiaries who have received Rs 48,500 or less under the scheme, along with other households that meet the eligibility criteria. The programme is intended primarily for poor and vulnerable families who were not covered under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, including households living in kutcha houses and families without permanent shelter.
The Antyodaya Gruha Yojana was launched with a target of constructing houses for five lakh families. Its focus is on households that were excluded from central housing programmes and remain in need of permanent accommodation. With the additional approval, the state has expanded the number of houses planned under the scheme while moving the completion deadline from 2027 to 2029.
The government has also increased incentives linked to the speed of construction. Beneficiaries who complete their houses within five months will now receive Rs 35,000, compared with the earlier incentive of Rs 20,000 for completion within four months. Those who finish construction within seven months will receive Rs 20,000, up from Rs 10,000 for completion within six months.
According to the report, the higher incentives are intended to encourage faster construction and help eligible families complete their homes within the revised timelines. The changes also place greater importance on identifying households that may have been missed by existing housing programmes.
Majhi said the expanded coverage and enhanced incentives would allow more families to benefit from the scheme and accelerate Odisha’s progress towards providing permanent houses to eligible households. The state government expects the additional houses and extended implementation period to narrow the rural housing gap.
The next step is the quick beneficiary survey by the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department. The survey will determine the additional eligible households to be included under the expanded scheme, with implementation continuing until 2029.
