Centre doubles EWS income slab for affordable housing to Rs 6 lakh in Mumbai Metropolitan Region

In a good news for home buyers in Mumbai Metropolitan region, the Central government has taken steps to bolster affordable housing opportunities for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). As per a ToI report, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) and affordable housing in partnership (AHP) projects, the income threshold for eligibility has been doubled from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

This decision allow a larger segment of the population to avail affordable housing schemes offered by Mhada and CIDCO through the PMAY lottery system in urban areas.

The increase in the income slab comes as a response to the Maharashtra government's appeal to the Centre to expand access to affordable housing for individuals belonging to the EWS category. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) released a press note on Momday, highlighting the aim of facilitating a broader pool of beneficiaries to participate in the Mhada housing lottery in MMR.


The Central Government gives a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh per dwelling unit under the Affordable Housing Partnership (AHP). The AHP vertical accepts projects with a minimum of 250 dwellings, at least 35% of which are set aside for the EWS group.

Meanwhile, Mhada's Mumbai board has produced a preliminary list of applicants for the next housing lottery for 4,082 units in various regions of Mumbai.

Out of a total of 1,22,235 applications, 527 were deemed ineligible, and scrutiny is ongoing for 14,990 applications. As of now, 1,06,799 applicants have been confirmed to participate in the lottery, with the possibility of this number changing once, the final list is announced by Mhada on July 24.

Initially scheduled for July 18, the housing lottery has been postponed, and Mhada is yet to announce the revised date and venue. As the demand for affordable housing continues to grow, the move by the Central government is expected to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those seeking affordable and accessible housing solutions in the bustling Mumbai Metropolitan Region.