‘Housing For All’ in J&K? Rural success, urban delays
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By Abid Bashir
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- 02 Apr 2026
99% rural homes completed, urban approvals crawl
Srinagar, Apr 01: The government’s flagship housing scheme in Jammu and Kashmir presents a tale of two realities—remarkable success in rural areas and lingering delays in urban centres, leaving thousands of deserving families still waiting for a permanent roof. Replying to a query tabled by MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj disclosed that under PMAY-Gramin, nearly 3.23 lakh houses have been completed out of 3.35 lakh sanctioned, achieving an impressive 99 per cent completion rate. Despite challenges posed by difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions, the rural housing mission has largely stayed on track, offering relief to thousands of homeless and vulnerable families. In contrast, the urban component of the scheme continues to struggle with slow implementation. Under PMAY-Urban Mission 1.0, of the 39,153 houses sanctioned under the Beneficiary Led Construction vertical, around 31,173 have been completed, with more than Rs 542 crore released to beneficiaries. Additionally, 3,432 beneficiaries have availed subsidies under the Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme for home construction and
purchase. However, the recently launched PMAY-Urban 2.0 is yet to pick up a significant pace. Since its inception in September 2024, over 21,000 applications have been received, of which nearly 87 per cent have been verified. Yet, only 2,120 houses have been approved so far, reflecting a gap between application processing and actual sanctioning on the ground. At the same time, 1,272 affordable housing units have been approved in Jammu and Udhampur under the partnership model, though beneficiary verification is still ongoing. The government has attributed the delays largely to the extensive verification process, which involves scrutiny at multiple levels to ensure transparency and eliminate ineligible cases. In rural areas, over five lakh households have been surveyed under PMAY-Gramin 2.0, but a significant number of cases remain pending due to snowbound regions, remote locations and adverse weather, forcing authorities to extend deadlines beyond March 2026. A major concern emerging from the reply is the rigid land ownership requirement, particularly in urban areas. Many families living in dilapidated ancestral
houses without formal ownership documents are unable to access the scheme’s benefits. The government has reiterated that a clear land title in the beneficiary’s name is mandatory, suggesting that parents transfer ownership to their children to enable eligibility. However, it has made it clear that no alternative mechanism—such as allowing construction on parental or community land through consent or relaxation—is currently under consideration. The government said that efforts are underway to expedite verification and approvals through dedicated teams and regular monitoring at district and UT levels. Cases cleared through verification are placed before high-level committees for final sanction, with instructions to ensure time-bound processing. While the numbers reflect significant progress, especially in rural Jammu and Kashmir, the slow pace of urban approvals and the absence of flexibility for landless families underline the challenges that remain. As the government pushes forward with its housing agenda, bridging these gaps will be key to ensuring that the promise of “Housing for All” translates into reality for every deserving household.
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