Jammu, Nov 30 (IANS): The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is turning the housing dreams of lakhs of people into reality, not just in cities, towns and remote locations, but also in the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The border town of Rajouri is benefitting a lot from the scheme as many poor families have a house of their own today, courtesy Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's flagship scheme PMAY. Under the scheme, families are getting financial aid of up to Rs 2.20 lakh to build safe and secure homes.

According to Rajouri Municipal Council, a total of 1,022 houses have been sanctioned under the PMAY scheme within the municipal limits. Of these, 567 houses have been completed while around 200 are under construction and work on the remaining houses is about to commence soon.

Initially, the beneficiaries were offered Rs 1.66 lakh, but this was later enhanced to Rs 2.20 lakh in three installments, ensuring adequate support for construction. The upgradation in financial assistance has been welcomed by many beneficiaries. They made gushing praise for PM Modi-led government for providing them with dignity and stability in their lives.

Many locals speaking to IANS expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular, for introducing such an impactful initiative. They also commended the Municipal Council for facilitating fast processing of their requests.

"We are deeply thankful to the government for giving us the opportunity to own a safe and permanent home. It’s a dream come true for our families," said one of the beneficiaries.

Apart from the beneficiaries, the PMAY has brought immense hope and optimism to those families in Rajouri, who are yet to draw benefits of the scheme. They also hope to benefit from the government's affordable housing scheme soon.

Under the PMAY, the government has taken upon the task to provide permanent, secure housing to economically weaker sections (EWS), Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and other deserving individuals.