The Odisha state government has announced plans to observe *Awas Diwas* to promote affordable housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0. The initiative includes organising *Pradhan Mantri Awas Mela* in every district and urban local body (ULB) across the state.
The Housing and Urban Development Department has issued directives to all district collectors to ensure the successful implementation of the campaign, which will run in two phases from September 17, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, to October 31.
According to a letter issued by Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, ward-level camps will be held from September 17 to October 16 to engage beneficiaries at the grassroots level. This will be followed by district-level *Pradhan Mantri Awas Mela* events from October 16 to October 31. The campaign, aligned with the Government of India’s *Angikaar-2025* initiative, aims to expedite the construction of approved houses under PMAY-U, facilitate home loans, provide bank assistance, and link beneficiaries to other government schemes such as *Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar*, *Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi*, and *Ayushman Bharat*.
The state government has instructed district collectors to form coordination committees at the district level to streamline efforts. The campaign emphasises raising awareness about the Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS) and ensuring the timely completion of under-construction homes. Each district has been allocated ₹50,000 to organise these events, with funds to be provided by the Odisha Urban Housing Mission (OUHM). Additional resources from other schemes’ Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) funds may also be utilised if needed.
The initiative will also integrate other government campaigns, such as *Sahayog* (saturation approach for welfare schemes) and *Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi* (support for street vendors and micro-financing), to maximise impact. District collectors have been directed to coordinate with bank officials, Lead District Managers (LDMs), and relevant stakeholders to ensure PMAY-U beneficiaries are seamlessly integrated into these schemes and provided with home loan facilities.
This ambitious campaign underscores Odisha’s commitment to the *Angikaar-2025* vision, ensuring affordable housing and comprehensive welfare support for urban residents across the state.
