New Delhi, December 19: A total of 2,285 houses have been sanctioned for transgenders under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) so far, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Monday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Housing and Urban affairs Kaushal Kishore said according to the scheme's guidelines, preference is to be given to manual scavengers, people belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, minorities, people with disabilities, transgenders and women -- with overriding preference to widows. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: Narendra Modi Government Extends Housing for All Mission Till 2024.

"Against the validated demand of 1.12 crore houses, as on 12.12.2022, 1.20 crore houses, including 2,285 houses for transgenders, have been sanctioned by the ministry based on the project proposals submitted by states/union territories, out of which 1.06 crore have been grounded, 65.5 lakh have been completed/delivered to the beneficiaries and remaining are at various stages of construction," Kishore said in his reply. Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Gives Nod for Construction of 60 Thousand Houses in Five State Under PMAY.

He said the ministry was supplementing the efforts of states and union territories by giving central assistance under the Pradhan Mantri awas Yojana (Urban) since June 25, 2015, to provide pucca house with basic amenities to all eligible urban beneficiaries, including transgenders.

The scheme adopts a demand driven approach wherein states and union territories have been empowered to approve projects for beneficiaries identified by them through a demand survey based on the eligibility criteria, he said.

To another question, Kishore said the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban has been extended till December 31, 2024, for completion of already sanctioned houses and the ministry is well poised to achieve this target within the stipulated time frame.

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