JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired the 2nd meeting of the Union Territory Level Sanctioning & Monitoring Committee (UTLSMC) under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY–U) 2.0. The meeting reviewed major implementation milestones, approved key project proposals, and deliberated on quality monitoring, social audit compliance, and capacity building initiatives aimed at accelerating affordable housing delivery across the Union Territory.
The meeting, besides ACS, APD and PDD, was attended by the Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD; DG, Budget; Commissioner, JMC/SMC; a representative from J&K Bank and other concerned officers.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary emphasised the need to extend proactive support to economically weaker sections to enable them to complete the construction of their dwelling units within a stipulated timeframe. He directed the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Municipal Corporations to reach out to all eligible beneficiaries who were previously surveyed for coverage under the Interest Subsidy Scheme for Self Construction/Enhancement (ISSS) vertical of PMAY–Urban. He observed that reaching out to nearly 80,000 households is achievable through coordinated efforts between ULBs and banking institutions.
The Chief Secretary further instructed the department to develop a dedicated digital tool to facilitate seamless beneficiary outreach and application processing, minimising manual intervention. He also stressed the importance of organising special camps across all ULBs and municipal wards to ensure maximum enrolment of eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.
The Committee approved 47 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by various Urban Local Bodies under the Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC) vertical. These DPRs cover 879 dwelling units, further strengthening the affordable housing ecosystem in the Union Territory and enabling eligible beneficiaries to construct or upgrade their own houses.
Commissioner Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD), Mandeep Kaur, highlighted the significance of PMAY–Urban 2.0 in ensuring housing for all urban poor. She elaborated on the different scheme verticals including BLC, Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), and ISSS, stating that the combined implementation of these components would help in saturating the housing needs of all eligible urban households in the UT.
Managing Director, J&K Housing Board, Shahbaz Ahmed Mirza, briefed the Committee on the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) submitted in response to observations made by Third Party Quality Monitoring (TPQM) agencies during their second and third inspection visits to BLC houses.
He informed that TPQM agencies were engaged as per PMAY–Urban guidelines to ensure construction quality across projects sanctioned in multiple Central Sanctioning & Monitoring Committee (CSMC) meetings, covering 463 BLC projects across Jammu & Kashmir.
Moreover, he added that all mandated inspections have been completed and submission of duly approved ATRs to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is mandatory for the release of final instalments under BLC projects.
The UTLSMC reviewed and approved the Social Audit Report for BLC projects conducted in accordance with PMAY–Urban guidelines. The audit assessed transparency, beneficiary satisfaction, beneficiary selection processes, and adherence to approved norms.
The Social Audit was conducted by the Directorate of Social Audit, Department of Rural Development, J&K, across nine cities and towns of the Union Territory. The approved report will be submitted to MoHUA to facilitate the release of final instalments under the BLC component.
The Committee also approved the Annual Capacity Building Plan under PMAY–Urban 2.0 for the financial year 2025–26. The plan aims to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance the technical skills of implementing agencies, and improve monitoring and execution efficiency across the housing mission
The meeting also reviewed physical and financial progress under PMAY–Urban 1.0. It was given out that in Jammu & Kashmir, 6,368 houses are currently under construction which are targeted for completion by 30 September 2026, before the set deadline.
On the financial front, it was revealed that mother sanctions have been received for BLC and salary components. Utilization Certificates amounting to ₹3,730.52 lakh are being prepared for submission. The Committee was further informed that 103 bills amounting to ₹25.67 crore, covering 2,501 beneficiaries, are going to be cleared soonafter availability of the UT share.
The meeting was apprised that under the BLC vertical of PMAY–Urban 2.0, financial assistance of ₹2.50 lakh per house is provided for houses with a carpet area of 30–45 sq. m., comprising ₹2.25 lakh Central Assistance and ₹0.25 lakh UT share. The Central Assistance is released in three construction-linked instalments of 40% in the first instance, 40% as the second instalment, and 20% as the final instalment.
The Chief Secretary emphasised the timely submission of mandatory compliance reports to MoHUA, the early resolution of fund flow issues, and the strengthening of monitoring mechanisms to ensure the timely completion of houses and seamless benefit delivery to eligible beneficiaries.
