Bhubaneswar, 18 April (H.S.): Kuldeep Narayan, Joint Secretary (Housing for All), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, reviewed the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban and its upgraded version PMAY-U 2.0 during his visit to Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

As part of the review, Narayan visited three major project sites in the city, representing different verticals of the flagship housing scheme. He first inspected the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) project at Buddha Vihar in Chandrasekharpur, where he assessed the progress of housing units aimed at providing affordable and quality homes to urban beneficiaries.

He then visited Hare Krushna Nagar near Saileshree Vihar, where houses are being constructed under the Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC) vertical. Interacting with beneficiaries, he appreciated the state government’s efforts in facilitating individual house construction and ensuring timely delivery.

A key highlight of the visit was the inspection of the Pragati Bihar slum redevelopment project under PMAY-U 2.0. The project, involving 44 sanctioned houses, includes 34 beneficiaries from the transgender community and is being developed as an inclusive housing model. Designed with technical support from noted architect Ashok B. Lall in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, the initiative focuses on sustainable, climate-responsive, and energy-efficient housing solutions.

The project incorporates innovative construction techniques, thermally efficient designs, use of sustainable materials, rooftop solar systems, and energy-efficient appliances. Narayan described the initiative as a progressive step towards inclusive and environmentally sustainable urban development.

Following the field visits, a review meeting was held at Kharvela Bhavan with Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee and senior officials from the Housing & Urban Development Department, Bhubaneswar Development Authority, and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

The meeting assessed the overall progress of PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0 in Odisha, focusing on achievements, challenges, and areas needing improvement. Narayan emphasized timely project completion, quality assurance, and enhancing beneficiary satisfaction. Discussions also covered policy interventions and reforms required for effective implementation of the scheme.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda