Gangtok, Apr 18: The Rural Development Department of Sikkim organised a Regional Workshop on Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) at a local hotel in Gangtok on Thursday. The workshop, which will continue through April 18, 2025, focused on reviewing the progress of the scheme and planning for future steps.
Arun Kumar Upreti, Minister for Rural Development and Cooperation, addressed the workshop, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that no eligible beneficiary is excluded from the PMAY-G scheme. He highlighted the state’s efforts to accurately identify and inspect deserving beneficiaries and called for collective support for the state government’s vision of a “Sunaulo, Samriddha, and Samarth Sikkim.”
Gaya Prasad, Deputy Director General of Rural Housing, Government of India, provided an overview of the PMAY-G initiative, noting that over 4 crore pucca houses have been built under the scheme in the last decade. He stressed the importance of beneficiary verification and addressing grievances related to house construction.
The technical sessions included presentations by Joint Director (IT) Ajay More on the Awaas+ Survey 2024, Riaz Udin Ahmed from UIDAI on Aadhaar seeding under PMAY-G, and Souvik Sikdar from BIS on the use of certified materials in construction. Pragya Singh from the Project Management Unit, MoRD, provided insights into the evolution of rural housing schemes and the functions of the Awaas Sakhi Application.
The workshop also featured discussions on the physical and financial progress of States and UTs, as well as a presentation on the Single Nodal Account system (SPARSH) by Rinchen Doma Sherpa from PFMS. Participants from various states, including Telangana, Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and others, shared their best practices in implementing PMAY-G.
The workshop was attended by Minister Arun Kumar Upreti, MLA and Advisor for Rural Development Kala Rai, Deputy Director General Gaya Prasad, and other dignitaries. The event began with a Welcome Address by Secretary RDD Norzing Tshering Shenga and concluded with a Vote of Thanks by CEO PMAY-G RDD Rajani Sharma.
