The progress of PMAY-G is unprecedented: around 9 million were built in phase 1 (2016-19) at a cost of Rs.1,13,000 crore and another 12.7 million are in the pipeline under phase 2 (2019-22). But we know little of its impact on the rural habitat, quality of life and local perception, apart from a recent survey by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy that echoes many challenges noted under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY). Even so, the understanding is incomplete in terms of the extent of housing localisation, its integration with settlement planning, other State housing schemes and its appropriateness  and acceptance by people. At the implementation level, it is the functionaries, local level officials and elected representatives in Block and Gram Panchayats that are responsible even if the scheme is centrally conceived. Four years into this programme, it offers us the opportunity to revisit and highlight the role of PRIs in localising housing programmes and settlement planning & development.

This study focuses on 6 Gram Panchayats and corresponding Zilla and Taluk panchayats across 3 districts of Maharashtra, where both PMAY-G and if possible, State housing programs have progressed, to provide evidence-based suggestions for a local, integrated model of rural habitat improvement through strengthening the role of PRIs and households.

Whereas this study is an opportunity to revisit the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in rural habitat improvement, its value and departure from other similar studies, is in critically examining the current design of housing programs through a bottom-up perspective. This will improve the quality of housing and enhance the role of Gram Panchayats, in particular as units of local self-government.