Patna: More than 1.04 crore rural households in Bihar have been added to the government’s updated beneficiary database under the Awas Plus 2.0 platform, paving the way for a fresh round of allocations under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G), officials said.
The state’s rural development department has completed verification of families identified as eligible but previously left out of the flagship rural housing scheme. Officials said a priority list is now being prepared and that allocations will be made once targets are received from the central government for the 2026–27 financial year.
According to the department, the verified list will be used to extend housing benefits to families who have long remained on the waiting list for a permanent home. The process is expected to move forward once approval is granted by the Centre.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of Bihar’s strong performance under PMAY-G over the past decade. Between 2016–17 and 2021–22, the state constructed 36.61 lakh houses, the highest in the country during that period, according to government data. Between 2021–22 and 2025–26, a further 2,88,743 houses were completed.
In total, since 2016–17, 39,49,743 rural households in Bihar have been provided permanent housing under the scheme, with the government reporting an expenditure of Rs 53,952 crore.
Officials said the newly verified database represents families who were not previously covered under the programme but are now eligible for inclusion. The updated list has been submitted to the central government for approval, after which the allocation process is expected to begin.
Under PMAY-G, eligible beneficiaries receive financial assistance totalling Rs 1,54,950, disbursed in stages. This includes wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for 90 days of construction work, assistance for toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and direct support for house construction.
Government officials said the convergence of these schemes is intended to ensure not only housing security but also improved sanitation and employment support during construction.
Speaking on the development, Bihar’s rural development minister, Shrawon Kumar, said the programme had significantly improved living conditions for rural poor families in the state.
“The lives of the poor are transforming rapidly thanks to the PM Awas Yojana. The provision of a pucca house has made people’s lives more secure and dignified. The Department of Rural Development has provided more housing to the poor in Bihar than in any other state. The names of over 10.4 million new beneficiaries have been added to the waiting list. The survey and verification processes have been completed, and the list has been sent to the Government of India for approval. The work of allocating houses will commence immediately upon the approval of the list,” he said.
Officials said the next phase of implementation will depend on the timely release of funds and targets from the central government, following which distribution of housing benefits will begin in a phased manner across districts.
