New Delhi, May 16, 2013: The government on 13 May 2013 approved new guidelines for the Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) Scheme for rural poor.

New Delhi, Dec. 12, 2012: The members of Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Development have suggested a number of measures to strengthen Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), one of the important flagship schemes of the UPA government. These include enhancement in allocation for construction of rural housing units, fine tuning the BPL list for proper identification of beneficiaries, application of modern technology in construction, inclusion of widows as beneficiaries and effective monitoring mechanism at the ground level.

New Delhi, Dec. 10, 2012: States have failed to spend Rs 29,760 crore under various flagship programmes during the last fiscal, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said today.

He said during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha that Rs 10,993 crore remained unspent under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Rs 5,859 crore under Indira Aawas Yojana (IAY).

Construction of sanitary latrine and smokeless Chulha should be taken up with each IAY house. The latrine could be constructed separate from the IAY house on the site of the beneficiary. There should be convergence with activities and funds provided under the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), for providing sanitary latrines in the IAY houses. A Joint letter from Department of Rural Development and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been issued to all States/UTs for dovetailing of funds under TSC with IAY to sanction IAY house and toilet simunetanlusly.