Lok Sabha Question No. 117 (STARRED), answered on 2021-02-09
Subject: Rural Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 117 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2021

## RURAL HOUSING INTEREST SUBSIDY SCHEME

## *117.   SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL: SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched the Rural Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme to help the rural poor who are not included in the list of identified beneficiaries under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY);
- (b) if so, the total funds allocated/spent and the number of persons benefitted so far under the scheme since its inception;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to rope in National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) and Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO) for revival of rural housing schemes to help the rural poor; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the extent to which it is likely to improve the achievements under the scheme along with the further steps taken or being taken to give a boost to rural housing schemes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NUMBER  *117  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  09.02.2021  REGARDING  RURAL  HOUSING INTEREST SUBSIDY SCHEME.

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b):  The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  is  implementing  Rural  Housing  Interest  Subsidy Scheme (RHISS) with effect from 19 th June,  2017  with  an  aim  to  provide  interest  subsidy  to eligible households who avail housing loans for construction or modification of a house in rural areas.  Under  the  Scheme,  the  interest  subsidy  is  provided  at  the  rate  of  3.0  percent  on  the principal amount of the loan and the subsidy is admissible for a maximum loan amount of first Rs. 2.00 lakh for 20 years or full period of loan, whichever is less.

The  National  Housing  Bank  (NHB)  is  the  Central  Nodal  Agency  (CNA)  to  channelize  the subsidy to the lending institutions and to monitor the Scheme implementation. Primary Lending Institutions  (PLIs)  for  Rural  Housing  Interest  Subsidy  Scheme  (RHISS)  include  Scheduled Commercial  Banks,  Housing  Finance  Companies,  Regional  Rural  banks,  State  Cooperative Banks,  Urban  Cooperative  Banks,  Small  Finance  Banks,  Non-Banking  Financial  Companies (NBFC), Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) or any other institution identified by the Ministry. The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  had  released  Rs.48.54  crore  as  advance  to  the  National Housing  Bank  (NHB)  for  implementation  of  the  Scheme.    As  on  14.01.2021,  against  6,074 claims for availing subsidy under RHISS, the NHB has already disbursed a total subsidy amount of Rs. 12.20 crore to the Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) for extending benefits under RHISS to the eligible beneficiaries.

(c) & (d): Yes, Sir. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the  supervisor  of  the  State  Cooperative  Banks  (StCBs),  District  Central  Cooperative  Banks (DCCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) has branches in all major cities of the country and has been implementing the Credit  Linked  Subsidy  Scheme  (CLSS)  of  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs.  These  two Organizations can provide greater penetration of the Scheme.

In  addition  to  above  other  major  steps  taken  by  the  Ministry  to  give  boost  to  Rural  Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme include:-

- i. Amendments have been carried out in Scheme guidelines as per proposals received from NHB for effective implementation.
- ii. Regular meetings are held with National Housing  Bank (NHB) for  review of progress and resolution of issues raised by NHB and PLIs.
- iii. NHB has been directed to identify Champion PLIs in respect of RHISS and bring them forward to share success stories and information to encourage other PLIs.
- iv. RHISS has been made a part of the agenda in State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) Meetings for review of Scheme and for increasing its outreach.

*******