PM Awas Yojana to build over 29.5 mn rural homes by March

23 Feb 2024 CW Team

The government led by Narendra Modi would have completed the construction of over 37 million rural houses by March. This surpasses the approximately 32 million houses constructed over 29 years under the former Indira Awas Yojana, highlighting the government's emphasis on rural development.

According to the official, under the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), the Modi government aims to finish the construction of 29.5 million houses by March, ensuring that every rural family has their own home. Additionally, the NDA government had built 7.6 million houses under the Indira Awas Yojana between 2014 and 2016, as mentioned by the source who preferred to remain anonymous.

The PMAY (Gramin) was launched in November 2016, replacing the earlier Indira Awas Yojana. The scheme involves the Centre covering 60% of the construction cost in most states, with state governments contributing the remainder. However, in north-eastern and hilly states, the Centre's contribution increases to 90%, and in Union territories, it reaches 100%.

Regarding women's economic participation, the rural development ministry plans to enhance the involvement of women through self-help groups (SHGs), according to the same source. The goal is to increase the number of women earning over Rs 0.1 million per year from the current 10 million to 30 million in the coming years. The ministry intends to implement measures that support women in achieving sustainable livelihoods.

The source also mentioned that the number of government-backed SHGs has surpassed nine million, compared to just 2.13 million in 2013-14. Additionally, the number of village organisations has risen from 88,105 in 2013-14 to 502,660.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Oct 2025

Sonowal Unveils Eight Projects at NMPA’s Golden Jubilee

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the Curtain Raiser Ceremony of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Bharat Mandapam. To commemorate the milestone, he unveiled eight major maritime infrastructure projects designed to strengthen India’s port network, enhance logistics performance, and promote sustainability. These include a modern cruise terminal, new covered storage facilities, a 150-bed multi-speciality hospital, expanded truck terminals, and improved port access infrastructure aimed at enhancing..

India To Boost US LPG Imports, Cut Middle East Reliance

India is planning to reduce imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Middle East as state-owned refiners prepare to ramp up purchases from the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move aligns with New Delhi’s efforts to expand energy cooperation and secure a broader trade deal with Washington. State refiners have already notified their traditional LPG suppliers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar of the potential reduction in imports. Although the exact size of the supply cut was not disclosed, earlier reports suggested that Indi..

UK Sanctions Nayara Energy in Crackdown on Russian Oil

The United Kingdom has announced fresh sanctions on 90 entities, including Indian refiner Nayara Energy Limited, in its latest bid to curb Russian oil revenues and weaken President Vladimir Putin’s war funding. The sanctions, unveiled jointly by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Treasury, aim to disrupt networks supporting Moscow’s crude exports amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to the FCDO, the new restrictions are intended to “strike at the heart of Putin’s war funding” by targeting firms and assets that enable Russia’s energy trade. “..