The Government of India has taken, through their ongoing commitment to sustainable development and human dignity, a significant step towards enhancing the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). Jammu and Kashmir Government has recognized the importance of providing not only a roof over people’s heads but also technical support to enable beneficiaries to construct housing of good quality and durable nature through the construction of disaster-resilient homes.
This is a major shift away from previous government policies; this is the first time Government of India has invested in the safety and security of rural families in Kashmir and their futures through an innovative approach. For the last several decades, rural families have always been denied their dream of having a permanent house in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir due to a lack of financial resources, technical knowledge, and the constant consideration of natural disasters associated with the location’s mountainous terrain.
The current approach taken by the government is designed to eradicate these outdated and unwarranted barriers. By providing technical guidance from trained engineers, award-winning construction manuals, and typologies approved for disaster-resilient housing, this scheme will turn what was once just a basic entitlement into a legacy benefit for homeowners.
This initiative will have a multiplicity of positive impacts. Most importantly, it will result in saving lives and securing livelihoods. Disaster-resilient housing is designed to withstand the effects of earthquakes, extreme snowfall, and heavy rain or landslides, thus reducing their susceptibility to these types of hazards.
The first step for anyone is to get a secure home so they can not only keep their family safe, but they can also maintain their personal belongings and income-earning activities.
This resiliency provides stability to an individual or family, thus preventing the cycle of poverty from recurring every time an individual’s or family’s home is rebuilt after a disaster.
By providing the individual receiving technical assistance with knowledge and skills, we help them transition from being a passive recipient to an engaged participant in the construction of their home, helping ensure that they will be able to invest their financial and government support in a home that will last for generations, and also instilling a sense of pride, ownership, and confidence in the process of building their home.
Additionally, this type of program provides many benefits for both the environment and the economy.
Constructing a durable home decreases the frequency of having to repair and rebuild, which preserves resources, reduces waste and has a positive impact on the environment.
Support local economies by using local materials whenever possible and training a workforce in new methods of building resilient structures.
