Rural realty push: J&K builds 3.23 lakh houses, achieves 97% PMAY-G target

Jammu and Kashmir has completed more than three lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), achieving 97 per cent of the target, officials said on Sunday.Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department Secretary Mohammad Aijaz Asad directed officials to speed up construction of the remaining 11,340 houses sanctioned under the scheme, PTI reported.Reviewing the progress of PMAY-G in the Union Territory, he said the current phase of the scheme is nearing completion and all sanctioned works must be finished before the rollout of the next phase. Officials informed the meeting that a total of 3,23,299 houses have been completed so far, while construction is underway on the remaining units.Asad asked assistant commissioners of development (ACDs) and block development officers (BDOs) to closely track each case to ensure that no sanctioned house remains incomplete. He also directed that technical or administrative bottlenecks affecting progress be resolved immediately.He emphasised that all pending works should be completed by April 15, urging officers to make every effort, even if it requires working around the clock, since incomplete houses from the previous phase will not be carried forward once the new phase begins.The secretary also instructed directors of rural development in the Jammu and Kashmir regions to hold weekly review meetings and keep the department updated on progress.He stressed the need for early release of pending instalments to beneficiaries and directed ACDs to undertake block-wise reviews on the issue.Highlighting a recent survey conducted ahead of the next phase, Asad said that although it was carried out using AI-based technology, deputy commissioners would review the findings to ensure that no eligible households are left out.