The FM’s announcement of ₹10 lakh crore investment in urban housing under PM AWAS Yojana Urban 2.0 is thus a shot in the arm for India’s real estate sector. This huge infusion—₹2.2 lakh crore in central assistance—can indeed rejuvenate the affordable segment of housing, which has remained in a challenging position over the past few years. For the target of 1 crore families within five years, it translates to about 20 lakh houses per annum, which becomes a significant scaling-up from the current version of the scheme. It can also generate enhanced demand for construction materials and may revive sectors such as cement, steel, and home appliances. It is in this regard that additional focus on the middle-class families, apart from the urban poor, broadens the scheme’s scope and possibly leads to more diversified housing typologies and urban design solutions. This kind of holistic approach can play a huge role in realizing the government’s vision of ‘Housing for All’.
