Urban poverty alleviation remains a State subject, with primary responsibility resting with State Governments and Union Territories. The Government of India supplements these efforts through targeted programmes and schematic interventions aimed at reducing the economic, social, and residential vulnerabilities of the urban poor, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has informed Parliament.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on January 29, 2026.
DAY-NULM: Building Urban Livelihoods
MoHUA implemented the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana: National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to promote self-employment, skill development, and social mobilisation among the urban poor. The implementation period of the scheme ended on September 30, 2024.
Progress Under DAY-NULM (as on 30.09.2024)
- 10,02,545 Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed
- 15,42,952 candidates provided skill training
- 1,995 shelters created with a capacity of about 1.41 lakh beds
PM SVANidhi: Credit and Social Security for Street Vendors
The Ministry is also implementing the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, launched in June 2020, to provide collateral-free working capital loans to urban street vendors.
Restructuring of PM SVANidhi (August 2025)
The scheme was restructured in August 2025 to expand coverage and enhance benefits:
- Lending period extended from December 2024 to March 2030
- Coverage expanded to census towns, urban agglomerations and peri-urban areas in a graded manner
- Loan limits enhanced:
- ₹15,000 for the first tranche
- ₹25,000 for the second tranche
- Introduction of UPI-linked credit cards up to ₹30,000
- Emphasis on capacity building, entrepreneurship development, and digital transaction incentives
- Rollout of a comprehensive social security framework under SVANidhi se Samriddhi (SSS)
Progress Under PM SVANidhi
As on January 20, 2026:
- Over 1.05 crore loans disbursed
- Total loan amount of around ₹16,100 crore
- Benefits extended to more than 71.5 lakh street vendors nationwide
PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0: Housing for Urban Beneficiaries
MoHUA has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: Urban (PMAY-U) since June 25, 2015, with the objective of providing all-weather pucca houses with basic civic amenities to eligible urban beneficiaries.
Launch of PMAY-U 2.0
From September 1, 2024, the Ministry revamped the scheme and launched PMAY-U 2.0: ‘Housing for All’ Mission, aimed at enabling eligible beneficiaries to construct, purchase, or rent affordable housing. The revamped mission targets 1 crore additional urban beneficiaries.
Housing Progress (as on 22.01.2026)
- 122.28 lakh houses sanctioned, including 10.66 lakh under PMAY-U 2.0
- 114.84 lakh houses grounded
- 97.02 lakh houses completed and delivered to beneficiaries
DJAY-S Pilot: Focus on Vulnerable Urban Workers
To address the needs of emerging and vulnerable occupational groups, MoHUA implemented a pilot titled ‘Deendayal Jan Aajeevika: Shehari (DJAY-S)’ from October 1, 2024, in 25 selected cities.
The pilot focuses on six vulnerable worker categories:
- Gig workers
- Transportation workers
- Construction workers
- Waste workers
- Care workers
- Domestic workers
The objective of the pilot is to study these groups to design targeted and evidence-based schematic interventions.
Conclusion
Through a combination of livelihood missions, affordable housing initiatives, credit-linked support for street vendors, and pilot programmes for vulnerable workers, the Centre continues to complement State-led urban poverty alleviation efforts. The initiatives highlight a multi-dimensional approach to improving income security, housing access, and social protection for the urban poor across the country.
Source: PIB (PR ID 2220349)