Ahmedabad, May 6 (IANS): A total of 11.56 lakh houses have been constructed in Gujarat under the housing scheme of the Central government, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, an official said on Saturday.

The urban component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has seen the construction of a total of 7.50 lakh houses, while the rural component has seen the construction of more than 4.06 lakh houses.

The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 to provide affordable housing for the urban poor and middle-class families, and was later extended to include rural areas in 2016.

The goal of the scheme in Gujarat was to construct approximately 7.64 lakh houses, but this target has been surpassed, with over 9.54 lakh houses approved for construction.

In addition, the state government has announced a new scheme, the "Mukhyamantri Protshahak Sahay Yojana", to provide financial assistance to beneficiaries who have completed the construction of their houses within six months of receiving the first installment of the scheme.

The scheme is expected to provide financial assistance worth Rs 45.13 crore to over 22,500 beneficiaries during the fiscal year 2022-23.

The state government has also announced financial assistance of Rs 19.03 crore for the construction of bathrooms along with houses for over 38,000 female beneficiaries during the same period.