The state government has requested the Centre to allocate Rs1,600 crore as a “Mother Sanction” under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G), stating that the balance in the state’s Single Nodal Account (SNA) has been depleted and new funds are necessary to maintain the momentum of rural housing construction.
Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar mentioned that the request has been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Rural Development to facilitate the release of central assistance in a single bulk approval, allowing for the continued disbursement of instalments to verified beneficiaries.
As per the minister, Bihar has already expended Rs55,66,080 lakh on PMAY-G initiatives to date. He further noted that an additional Rs 4,27,528 lakh is still needed to finalize the remaining houses under the scheme. With the SNA exhausted, the state has indicated its inability to process further payments at the necessary pace, rendering the “Mother Sanction” essential for the seamless execution of the program.
A “Mother Sanction” refers to the Union ministry’s comprehensive financial and administrative endorsement that permits the disbursement of a significant lump-sum amount to a state’s SNA, rather than distributing funds to individual beneficiaries. Once the “Mother Sanction” is granted, state and local authorities can divide the sanctioned sum into instalments and directly transfer them to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through Aadhaar-linked and verified payment systems.
This approach is intended to expedite fund distribution, minimize delays, and ensure that payments are made exclusively to eligible recipients, as stated by an official. The minister also emphasized the advancements in Bihar’s rural housing initiative, describing it as a significant accomplishment in providing permanent residences to homeless families. He noted that the state is nearing the fulfillment of its PMAY-G objectives. From FY 2016-17 to the present, housing approvals have been issued to 49,09,797 beneficiaries against a target of 49,18,758 houses.
Of these, 41,12,565 beneficiaries have successfully completed construction, reflecting considerable progress while highlighting the necessity for timely funding to complete the remaining units.
