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Discussion paper on

National Gramin Awaas Mission (GRAM)

Indira Awaas Yojana was launched in June, 1985 as a sub-scheme of Rural Landless

Employment Guarantee Programme and later became a component of Jawahar Rozgar

Yojana. It became an independent scheme in 1996. Rs. 82,780.00 cr has been expended for

the construction of 2.91 cr houses since then. The scheme was continued in the Twelfth five

year plan with an outlay of Rs.59, 585 crore.

The twelfth plan working group on rural housing recommended a target of 1.5 crore

houses for the plan period based on a housing shortage estimate of 4 cr houses in rural areas.

Against the annual target of 30 lakh houses, the budgetary outlay for the scheme enabled a

target of 30.09 lakh and 24.85 lakh houses in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively. During the

current financial year, a target of 25.19 lakh has been set against an outlay of Rs.16,000

crore.

As per the Census 2011, 1.08 crore households live in dilapidated houses, which are

showing signs of decay or breaking down and require major repairs or those houses decayed

or ruined and are far from being in conditions that can be restored or repaired. However, if

one takes roofing alone, about 4.41 crore houses have kutcha roofing. If material of wall is

taken, 2.71 crore houses have grass, thatch, bamboo, plastic, etc. as wall and another 5.83

crore have mud or unburnt brick as the material. The SECC data indicates 4.01 crore house

have one or two rooms with kutcha walls and kutcha roofs. All these figures reveal that the

magnitude of the problem cannot be clearly defined with the existing data. There is a need

for ground-truthing.

Looking at the above numbers, a target of approximately four crore houses can be

safely assumed to require urgent attention. Assuming that 20 per cent of households living in

such houses can provide resources to build a house and the remaining 80 per cent of the

families may not be able to provide for construction of a house from their resources. Then

atleast 3.20 crore households would require assistance from the Government to house

themselves. Eligibility for assistance would be decided based on the condition of the house

and BPL families would be given priority. The deserving would be identified through a

participatory process involving the Gram Sabha and PRIs.

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Presently unit assistance is Rs. 70,000 (Rs. 75,000 in difficult areas. The unit size is

fixed at a minimum of 20 sq.mt which is too small for a household and needs to be increased

to atleast 30 sq.mts to provide enough space for the household and livelihood activities.

Toilet is provided under NBA implemented at the ground level by a different agency. Cost of

construction has increased with increase in prices of material and wages for skilled labour.

The lack of access to institutional credit to the poor for the purpose of housing remains

distant with banking institutions remaining indifferent to the needs of the sector in rural areas.

The country loses 15 lakh houses to disaster every year and the need to incorporate resilient

design and construction features gains importance. Above all the house should be able to

withstand wear and tear and weather factors for atleast a period of 30 years and should not

slip back into disrepair within a few years. In the above scenario the unit assistance is found

to be insufficient. Unit assistance needs to be increased to Rs. 1.5 lakh or so in plain areas or

a little higher in difficult/hilly areas with the toilet becoming an integral part of the house.

This would have significant cost implications but is inevitable if the problem of housing in

rural areas is to be addressed.

The construction of 20 lakh houses during the current year, at an unit cost of Rs.1.5

lakh would require funds of Rs.21,840 crore (Rs. 6,940 cr over and above the existing outlay

of Rs.16,000 crore in B.E 2014-15). The construction of 25 lakh houses would require funds

of Rs.27,300 crore (Rs. 13,200 crore over and above the existing outlay). A target of 3.20

crore houses can be covered, in a period of nine years with an annual target of 25 lakh

houses and fund requirements of Rs.27,300 crore.

A National Gramin Awaas Mission (GRAM) becomes imperative since the

Government has sought to achieve the goal of 'pucca houses for all' by 75 years of the

Nations independence, a time of just eight years to 2022. It would help focus attention on

'improving living conditions’ rather than just offering shelter, with sufficient thought to inter-

related considerations of basic amenities. Fixed end goal in terms of time and numbers

(quantities) can be achieved, with planned cost reduction measures, increased efficiency in

fund flow and utilisation. Effective decision making becomes possible if the agency is

empowered and there exists a robust mechanism for regular monitoring.

Open defecation has remained persistent despite efforts through the Total Sanitation

Campaign and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan. Census 2011 reveals that 11.62 crore rural

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households (69.30 %) do not have a latrine within their premises. The baseline survey

conducted by MoDWS in 2012 covering 90% of rural areas revealed that 59.65% of houses

in rural areas do not have a toilet. With effect from 1.4.2013 construction of toilet has been

made mandatory along with construction of IAY unit by the beneficiary. Reports reveal that

not all houses sanctioned have been provided with toilets. Only 2.18 lakh of the 15.62 lakh

houses completed have reported construction of a toilet. Interactions with State Governments

have revealed that irregular fund flow and administration of the programme by different

agencies at three levels has made coordination difficult. Pooling of resources has not been

possible at the implementation level. Two different beneficiary lists have led to patchy

coverage.

Making a sanitary toilet alongwith bathing space integral to the house would ensure

that all new houses constructed would have a toilet with bathing space and the beneficiary

would not have to approach two different agencies. Funds for construction of the house and

toilet with bathing space have to flow from a single source in order to ensure construction.

Provision of household level biological waste treatment facility with appropriate technologies

like Bio-digesters would also be incorporated. Also suitable technologies would be adopted

for treatment of waste water at the habitat level.

The 69th

round survey of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), during

July 2012 to December 2012 shows that 53.9 per cent of rural households did not have

drinking water facilities within premises. The basic amenities like water and electricity are

provided by different entities which work in silos. There has been no integrated planning in

terms of time or geography. New habitations that are developed can overcome this lacuna

only through coordinated efforts from the various departments at the ground level right from

the stage of planning. Use of scientific basis for planning like the use of Disaster Risk Atlas

of India given by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) would help

maximise results. This requires a projectised mode of working and focussed supervision to

ensure coordination between these entities and a critical role played by the State

governments.

There is a clear need for developing and popularising appropriate technology through

a network of institutions, which could result in low-cost, environment- friendly and disaster-

resistant houses as per local cultural preferences. Rural Building Centres/ Technology

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Facilitation Centres are envisaged to play the role of a single window solution for guidance

on these concerns. The beneficiary has to build the house herself with handholding support

from the Rural Building Centre.

Implementation Structure

I. National level

A National Gramin Awaas Mission (GRAM) may be set up in the form of an autonomous

registered Society to implement and monitor the scheme at the National level, and be housed

in the Department of Rural Development. The governing structures of the Mission would

have representatives at a senior level from other participating Ministries implementing

JNNURM/NRDWP and RGGVY and agencies like NDMA, NEERI to provide technical

inputs. If required, there could be sub-missions and Department of Expenditure could also be

associated with this. These could be entrusted with the task of approving State level projects,

releasing funds, capacity building, providing technical assistance and monitoring

performance. High end coordination at the Centre could be ensured through a Cabinet

Committee on Housing. Provision for concurrent and impact evaluation of the scheme would

be made.

II. State level

Implementation at the State level would be by a State Mission housed in the Rural

Development Department /agency as decided by the State Government. The Mission would

be headed by Secretary/Principal Secretary who is in charge of IAY. It would be monitored

by an Empowered Project Approval and Management Committee under an officer of the rank

of Chief Secretary. Senior representatives of Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water, Sanitation,

Power, Renewable Energy, Health, Social Welfare and any other departments whose schemes

are planned for convergence would be a part of it. Mission is mandated to finalise thrust

areas and district targets for the year, decide on implementation to cover habitations and

individual households through an Annual Action Plan. Preparing projects for holistic

development of habitations with convergence to provide drinking water, power and any other

service/benefit as decided by the State Government for approval by the Empowered Project

Approval and Management Committee and MoRD would be its core function. The Mission

would involve reputed organisations, educational institutions, domain experts and eminent

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NGOs to provide technical guidance during project preparation and implementation. They

would be involved in facilitation for choice of design and technology options for construction

of houses and toilets. The Mission would meet atleast once every quarter to review progress.

III. District level

At the district level the Additional Collector/ CEO Zilla Parishad incharge of IAY

would head the Mission. Representatives from all participating line departments would be

part of the Mission. District Mission would be mandated to monitor and report progress of

work. Involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions in beneficiary selection and hand holding

would be encouraged. Mechanism to carry out Social Audits and a Grievance Redressal

System would be implemented at the district and block levels.

Implementation approach

Two streams of work would be carried under the scheme

o Upgradation/Construction of Individual Houses in existing habitats for

beneficiaries selected on the basis of a participatory process

o Upgradation/Construction through a Habitat approach including mandatory

convergence for water and power as projects.

Entire fund flow for the scheme would be electronically managed. Funds would flow

to a State Fund and from there to the project area as per need assessed by the State

government.

Payment to Beneficiary and progress to be tracked through the use of Temporary

Identification Number from the Socio-Economic Caste Census.

Monitoring would be on a GIS enabled online Management Information System.

Construction would be done by the beneficiary himself/herself and no contractors

would be involved

The site identified for construction would be photographed and latitude/longitude

coordinates recorded along with the photograph. Photographs would be geo-tagged

and time stamped.

Photos would be captured at various stages of construction to show progress and

release of instalments would be linked to stage of construction.

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Development of a menu of architectural designs using local building construction

technologies to enable the beneficiary to make an informed choice. Design and

technology should be in conformity to measures recommended by N.D.M.A.

Facilitation for use of locally appropriate disaster resilient designs and construction

technologies.

Facilitation and handholding during construction would be done by the District

Mission, along with Rural Building Centers, Technical Institutes, Technology

Facilitation Centres, SHG's, NGOs, Voluntary Organisations and practitioners in the

field of rural housing.

Cascading training for masons

States to facilitate price concession by material producers especially for cement, steel

and brick.

Key role for Gram Panchayats

External and independent quality monitors drawn from reputed academic institutions

would conduct field checks.

Resource mobilisation

Additional resources would have to come from the budgetary provisions or from

institutional credit. Institutional finance could be leveraged through existing institutions like

HUDCO and NHB. Options for bilateral/multilateral funding could also be explored. Extra

budgetary resources from and voluntary organisations could also be explored. The Mission

being a separate entity it should be possible to mobilize substantial resources upfront to be

repaid on an annuity model using the future stream of allocation for rural housing/IAY

houses.