11.19 Lakh Houses Approved Under PM Awas Yojana in Bihar, PMFBY to Be Implemented in the State

Centre has approved 11,18,937 pucca houses for poor families in Bihar under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), with an allocation of Rs 13,427 crore. At the same time, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will now be implemented in Bihar, providing farmers protection against crop losses caused by floods, drought, excessive rainfall and other natural calamities.

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the announcements at a state-level PM Awas Yojana programme in Patna on Thursday, in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and senior state ministers.

Under the housing package, the sanction letter for 11.19 lakh houses was handed over to the Bihar government. Chouhan said the initiative was aimed not merely at constructing houses but at providing poor families with dignity, security and better living conditions.

Reviewing the progress of PM Awas Yojana in Bihar, the Union minister said 24,30,327 houses had been approved for the state over the past two years, involving a total expenditure of Rs 29,164 crore. He said greater coordination between the Centre and state government had helped accelerate implementation and ensure transparent transfer of benefits to beneficiaries.

PMFBY to Protect Farmers Against Crop Losses

Highlighting the importance of crop insurance, Chouhan said implementation of PMFBY in Bihar would provide a safety net to farmers against losses arising from natural disasters. Eligible farmers suffering crop damage would receive compensation under the scheme, reducing the financial uncertainty associated with farming.

He welcomed the Bihar government’s decision to implement PMFBY, describing it as an important step for the state’s agricultural sector. He said farmers were central to the country’s food security and needed protection from risks beyond their control.

Chouhan also stressed the need to strengthen procurement, support systems and access to agricultural technology to make farming more remunerative and resilient. He said the Centre and state were working together to ensure that government schemes translated into tangible benefits for farmers.

Focus on Women’s Income and Rural Markets

The minister also emphasised the economic empowerment of rural women through Self-Help Groups and the Lakhpati Didi initiative. He said efforts would be made to establish She-Marts in every district, providing Jeevika Didis and women’s groups with platforms to market their products.

He stressed that increasing production alone would not be sufficient and that women entrepreneurs also needed support in product development, packaging and marketing.

Chouhan also highlighted Bihar’s progress in creating Farmer IDs, saying 53.83 lakh farmer identity cards had already been generated. He said the digital identification system would facilitate faster and more transparent delivery of government schemes.

He further underlined the importance of rural connectivity under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, describing roads, houses and agriculture as three key pillars of rural development. He said coordinated efforts by the Centre and Bihar government would be crucial to strengthening villages, improving rural livelihoods and accelerating the state’s development.