Lok Sabha Question No. 415 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-05
Subject: Equality Villages under PMAY-G
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 415 ANSWERED ON 05/12/2023

## EQUALITY VILLAGES UNDER PMAY-G

## 415.  SHRI RAVIKUMAR D.:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any plan to construct houses under Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana-Gramin  (PMAY-G)  in  rural  areas without any caste division and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  construction  of  houses  on  the  basis  of  caste  is against the spirit of the equality clause of the Constitution;
- (c) whether  Tamil Nadu  has  created more  than 200 'Equality Villages' and provided accommodation to people belonging to all castes in the equality villages and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether  the  Union  Government  has  any  plan  to  set  up  such equality villages under PMAY-G and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a):       In  order  to  achieve  'Housing  for  All',  the  overall  target  is  to construct  2.95  crore  houses  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Awaas  YojanaGramin (PMAY-G) in rural areas. The beneficiaries under the scheme are  identified  on  the  basis  of  housing  deprivation  parameters  and exclusion  criteria  prescribed  under  Socio  Economic  Caste  Census (SECC) 2011. These parameters/criteria are applied both on SECC 2011 and 'Awaas+' survey databases and then they are further subjected to due verification by Gram Sabha and an appellate process thereafter. The houses under the scheme are provided to all the rural areas as per the guidelines without any caste discrimination.

- (b):   Under the PMAY-G, minimum of 60% of the target at the national level  is  earmarked  for  SC/ST  households.  Further,  the  States  are allowed  to  interchange  targets  between  SC  and  ST  if  there  are  no eligible beneficiaries from either of the category. Also on exhaustion of  SC/ST  beneficiaries,  the  State/UT  by  a  duly  signed  letter  by  the Chief  Secretary  can  allocate  target  to  the  beneficiaries  from  the 'Others' category after the approval of the Ministry.
- (c): It  is  an  initiative  of  the  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu.  The  State Government has reported that to promote social justice and to spread Thanthai  Periyar's  message  of  Social  equality,  they  have  launched the   scheme  named 'Periyar  Ninaivu  Samathuvapuram' which  is  an integral part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Indian Independence during the year 1997-98. Under this scheme, an area up to an extent of 8 to 9 acres of approachable land is identified wherein Samathuvapuram (Equality Village) is established which consist of 100 houses with all basic infrastructure facilities like water supply, Road works,  Street  lights,  play  grounds,  Parks,  Community  Hall,  Library, Anganvadi,  PD  Shop,  School  Building  and  School  Toilet  etc.  All  100 houses  are  allotted  to  all  communities  in  the  ratio  of  SC-40,  BC-25, MBC-25,  Others-10. So far,  the  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu has established  238  Samathuvapurams  during  1997  to  2001  and  2008  to 2011 in the state where all communities live in unity and brotherhood.
- (d): There is no proposal to set up "equality villages". In fact, PMAYG works on a saturation made for coverage of all households having Kutcha houses upto two rooms, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion.  Basic  facilities  in  those  houses  viz.  toilets,  electricity  and LPG  connections  thereto  are  assured  through  convergence  with  the ongoing  schemes.  The  Government  of  India  is  already  implementing various Development schemes for poverty alleviation, wage employment, rural  infrastructure,  skill  development,  etc.  which  have over  the  years  reduced  poverty  and  improved  the  quality  of  life  and infrastructure in rural areas.

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