Content :

1. 2.35 Lakh houses approved under PMAY-Urban 2.0 during 3rd meeting of CSMC
2. One Nation, One Time – India’s March Towards Time Sovereignty: Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister

2.35 Lakh houses approved under PMAY-Urban 2.0 during 3rd meeting of CSMC

Scheme Overview

• PMAY-Urban 2.0 is the revamped version of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (launched in 2015).
• Goal: Provide 1 crore pucca houses to urban EWS/LIG/MIG families who do not own any house in India.
• Central assistance: Up to ₹2.5 lakh per unit.
• Focus: Empowerment, inclusiveness, affordability, and urban transformation.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ,Urbanization)

Key Approvals in the 3rd CSMC Meeting (June 18, 2025)

• 2.35 lakh houses approved across 9 states: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, UP.
• Brings total PMAY-U 2.0 approvals to 7.10 lakh houses so far.
• Approved under two verticals:
  • Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC)
  • Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP)

Social Inclusion & Targeted Empowerment

• 1.25 lakh houses sanctioned for women (including single women & widows).
• 44 houses allotted to transgender persons.
• Caste-based allocation:
  • SC: 42,400 houses
  • ST: 17,574 houses
  • OBC: 1,13,414 houses

Policy & Implementation Focus

• MoHUA Secretary directed states to:
  • Develop affordable housing policies (suggested Maharashtra’s model for adaptation).
  • Link AHP proposals with actual beneficiaries early to avoid future unoccupancy.
  • Promote Transit Oriented Development (ToD)—build homes near NAMO Bharat and metro stations.
• States advised to prioritize Special Focus Groups (vulnerable urban sections).
• Verification & digitization of applications urged via PMAY-U’s unified web portal.

Verticals of PMAY-U 2.0

1. BLC – House construction by individual beneficiaries
2. AHP – Group housing with private/public partnerships
3. ARH – Affordable Rental Housing for migrants (not part of this meeting)
4. ISS – Interest Subsidy for housing loans up to ₹9 lakh income bracket

Eligibility Criteria

• Must not own a pucca house anywhere in India.
• Income caps:
  • BLC & AHP: Up to ₹3 lakh/year
  • ISS: Up to ₹9 lakh/year
• Aadhaar-linked verification is mandatory.

Impact & Significance

• Supports urban housing goals under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities).
• Encourages women-led home ownership, social equity, and slum redevelopment.
• Boosts construction sector employment and supports urban migration management.
• Aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and inclusive development agenda.

One Nation, One Time – India’s March Towards Time Sovereignty: Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister

Context & Vision

• A Round Table Conference on Time Dissemination was held in New Delhi under the theme “One Nation, One Time.”
• Led by Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi, the initiative aims to establish India’s time sovereignty through accurate and secure dissemination of Indian Standard Time (IST).
• Time dissemination seen as strategic infrastructure, critical for national digital integrity, security, and fairness.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance)

Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025

• Upcoming legislation to mandate synchronization of all legal, administrative, and commercial systems with IST.
• Prohibits use of alternative/foreign time references unless specifically authorized.
• Makes IST legally enforceable, digitally secure, and globally benchmarked.

Time Dissemination Project Highlights

• Implemented by the Department of Consumer Affairs in collaboration with:
  • CSIR-NPL (timekeeping authority),
  • ISRO (satellite infrastructure).
• Establishment of 5 Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (RRSLs) with atomic clocks:
  • Locations: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad, Guwahati.
• Time accuracy: Millisecond to microsecond level via NTP (Network Time Protocol) and PTP (Precision Time Protocol).

Why This Matters

• Current reliance on foreign time sources like GPS poses cybersecurity risks (e.g., spoofing, jamming).
• Aims to build a trusted, indigenous, verifiable, and secure digital infrastructure.
• Enhances:
  • Fair billing in utilities,
  • Secure financial transactions,
  • Time-synced communications and transport,
  • Operational efficiency in governance.

Strategic Sector Relevance

• Sectors impacted:
  • Banking, Stock markets (NSE, BSE), Telecom, Power grid, Railways, Digital governance.
• Ensures coordinated enforcement, transparency, and accuracy in public systems.

Institutional Collaboration & Consultation

• Since 2018, over 60 technical and policy meetings held.
• Involvement of: Principal Scientific Adviser, Deputy NSA, NSCS, Cabinet Secretariat.
• Broad support from:
  • Ministries: Power, IT, Finance, Railways
  • Regulators: SEBI, CERT-In
  • Industry: FICCI, CII, COAI
  • Private players: Airtel, Jio, Tata, Sify
  • Banks: ICICI, BoB, etc.

Broader Significance

• Aligns with Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Cybersecurity goals.
• Embodies “Time Sovereignty” — strategic independence in temporal data infrastructure.
• Sets the foundation for standardized timekeeping in India across sectors.
• Empowers common citizens through fairer, safer digital systems.