New Delhi: Bihar is set to receive a major expansion in rural housing support, with 11.19 lakh pucca houses approved for poor families in the state along with an allocation of ₹13,427 crore.
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the approval during a state-level Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana programme in Patna on August 20. The sanction letter for the houses was handed over to Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
According to the Ministry of Rural Development, a total of 11,18,937 pucca houses have been approved under the latest housing package, with ₹13,427 crore allocated for their construction.
Chouhan said the housing programme is aimed at providing poor families with greater security and improved living conditions, rather than only creating physical housing infrastructure.
The latest approval comes as Bihar has seen a significant expansion in rural housing sanctions over the past two years. According to figures shared by the minister, 24,30,327 houses have been approved for the state during this period, involving expenditure of ₹29,164 crore.
Alongside the housing announcement, the government also outlined measures related to agriculture and rural livelihoods in Bihar.
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will now be implemented in the state, providing eligible farmers insurance protection against crop losses caused by floods, drought, excessive rainfall and other natural calamities.
Under the crop insurance scheme, eligible farmers can receive compensation when crops are damaged due to covered risks. The minister said the measure is intended to reduce uncertainty for farmers exposed to natural disasters and other agricultural risks.
The government also plans to strengthen market access for products manufactured by women associated with Self-Help Groups.
Chouhan said efforts would be made to establish She-Marts in every district of Bihar, providing Jeevika Didis and women’s Self-Help Groups with dedicated platforms to sell their products.
The initiative is expected to support women not only in production but also in areas such as product development, packaging and marketing, helping rural women-led enterprises access larger markets.
Bihar has also created 53,83,000 Farmer IDs so far. According to the ministry, the digital identification system is intended to simplify beneficiary identification and enable eligible farmers to access government schemes and services more directly.
Registration of the remaining farmers is expected to be completed subsequently.
The minister also highlighted rural roads, housing and agriculture as three key components of rural development. Better road connectivity is expected to improve village access to markets and services, while housing and agricultural support are aimed at improving living conditions and rural incomes.
The announcements were made during the Patna programme attended by the Bihar Chief Minister, state ministers, beneficiaries, women from Self-Help Groups and government officials.
Read also: Centre begins funding selected companies under ₹1 lakh crore research and innovation scheme
Read also: Facing claim rejection or mis-selling? Insurers get 14 days to resolve policyholder complaints
