Jamtara, Sept 4 : For several families in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district, a permanent home under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has brought a significant change in their living conditions, replacing mud houses and thatched roofs with concrete structures equipped with basic amenities.
Residents who had long faced financial hardships and lived in makeshift houses vulnerable to rain and flooding said the government housing assistance has given them a sense of security and dignity.
Sunita Bawri, a resident of the Nagar Panchayat area of Jamtara block, described the change as “nothing short of a miracle”. Her family of five earlier lived in a house made of mud and tin sheets, where rainwater would enter during the monsoon.
A house was sanctioned to Bawri under PMAY in 2023. She now lives in a permanent two-room house with a kitchen and toilet.
Another beneficiary, Balram Rajak, said he could not afford to construct a house while working as a labourer under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
With financial assistance under PMAY, Rajak said he was able to complete construction of his house after receiving funds from the government in three instalments.
According to district administration data, more than 25,800 beneficiaries in Jamtara have so far been sanctioned assistance under PMAY-G, while construction of over 18,000 houses has been completed.
Several beneficiaries have already shifted to their new homes, officials said.
Apart from housing assistance, beneficiaries are provided support for toilets, Ujjwala gas connections and electricity connections under various government schemes.
Alok Kisku, a ward councillor of the Nagar Panchayat, said the housing scheme had gained momentum due to a transparent beneficiary selection process and direct transfer of funds into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
Residents said the availability of permanent houses had improved their overall living conditions and provided greater protection during the monsoon.
The Nagar Panchayat has also set a target of making Jamtara free of shanties within five years.
In Raghavan village, families from the Bawri community, a Scheduled Caste group, have also benefited from the housing programme. Besides getting permanent houses, beneficiaries are receiving benefits such as electricity connections, Ujjwala gas connections and old-age pensions.
The housing initiative has thus emerged as a key source of support for economically vulnerable families in the district, helping them move from makeshift shelters to more secure homes.
