15 hours ago
Centre Details Implementation and Support Measures
New Delhi: In response to a joint query raised by seven Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has outlined the framework and progress of the housing reservation policy for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), including financial outlays and mechanisms to address backlog cases.
The question (Unstarred No. 2062) was submitted by Dr. Kavita Patidar, Dr. Parmar Jashvantsinh Salamsinh, Dr. Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde, Dr. K. Laxman, Mokariya Rambhai, Ryaga Krishnaiah, and Narhari Amin. They sought details on the estimated number of beneficiaries under the 4% housing reservation policy, infrastructure funding aligned with Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan guidelines, and measures to address pending cases under the disability quota.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, B. L. Verma, clarified that under Section 37 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, appropriate governments and local authorities are required to provide a 5% reservation in housing and agricultural land schemes for individuals with benchmark disabilities, with a special emphasis on prioritizing women. However, since land and housing are State subjects, implementation is carried out by individual States and Union Territories.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U), Rs 119.26 lakh has been disbursed to States/UTs for the sanction of 84,864 houses for PwDs. In PMAY-U 2.0, preference is extended to vulnerable groups including PwDs, widows, single women, senior citizens, and transgenders. Additionally, up to 4% of General Pool Residential Accommodation vacancies are reserved monthly for PwDs.
The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) aims to construct 2 crore additional houses in rural areas between 2024 and 2029. As of August 4, 2025, a total of 44,991 housing units have been sanctioned for persons with disabilities (PwDs) under the PMAY-G scheme. States are encouraged to ensure that at least 5% of the beneficiaries under PMAY-G are individuals with benchmark disabilities, with a priority given to women. Households with disabled members and no able-bodied adults receive higher deprivation scores to ensure priority in allotment.
To support infrastructure accessibility, Rs 73.12 crore has been earmarked for FY 2025–26 under the Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA), which funds barrier-free environments in buildings, transport, and ICT systems.
The Ministry affirmed that while implementation varies by state, the central government continues to provide financial and policy support to ensure inclusive housing access for persons with disabilities.
