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Pioneering initiative: Construction of SHG buildings picks up pace in Telangana

April 02, 2026 4 min read Polity & Governance Social Issues GS1 (Women Empowerment) GS2 (Government Schemes Social Justice)
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What Happened

  • Tamil Nadu has pioneered an initiative where women Self-Help Group (SHG) members are directly involved in the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme — an approach gaining momentum across the state.
  • Under the model, SHG collectives take on the role of construction agencies, employing member women as masons, labourers, and supervisors, channelling both the construction work and earnings within the SHG ecosystem.
  • The initiative converges Tamil Nadu's SHG network (Mahalir Thittam) with the PMAY-Gramin housing scheme, creating a dual benefit: delivering affordable housing for beneficiaries while generating employment and income for SHG members.
  • The state leads India in PMAY-Urban implementation performance, with over 1.82 million dwelling units identified for construction, making it a natural incubator for innovative construction delivery models.

Static Topic Bridges

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): Framework and Rural-Urban Components

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a flagship housing scheme launched by the Government of India in 2015, with the mission of providing "Housing for All" by 2022 (extended). It has two verticals: PMAY-Gramin (rural, administered by the Ministry of Rural Development) and PMAY-Urban (urban, administered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs). PMAY-G provides financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh per unit (plain areas) or ₹1.30 lakh (hilly/difficult terrain) directly to beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme mandates that housing be registered in the name of the female member of the household or jointly — embedding women's property rights directly into its design.

  • PMAY-G target: construction of 2.95 crore pucca houses for eligible rural households (revised target to FY2028-29 under cabinet approval).
  • Beneficiary selection: through SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) data; Awaas+ app used for on-ground verification.
  • PMAY-G provides additional convergence with MGNREGS (90-95 days of unskilled labour wages per household during construction) and Swachh Bharat Mission (toilet construction component).
  • Tamil Nadu's PMAY-Urban performance: 1,821,043 units identified; leading state in overall execution.

Connection to this news: The Tamil Nadu SHG construction model goes further than conventional PMAY delivery — instead of hiring external contractors, it places the construction agency role itself in the hands of SHG collectives, maximising community benefit from PMAY expenditure.

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and the Mahalir Thittam Programme

A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a small voluntary association of 12-20 women from similar socioeconomic backgrounds who pool their savings, extend micro-credit to members, and engage in income-generating activities. SHGs form the grassroots architecture of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) at the national level and Mahalir Thittam in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu pioneered the SHG movement in India in the 1980s; the state today has nearly 70 lakh (7 million) women SHG members, the highest in any state.

  • Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW), established in 1983, spearheads the Mahalir Thittam programme.
  • SHGs receive a Revolving Fund (₹15,000 per group), Community Investment Fund, and bank linkage loans averaging ₹1.5-2 lakh per group per cycle.
  • The TN Budget 2025-26 proposed formation of 10,000 new SHGs and targeted ₹37,000 crore in bank loans to SHGs.
  • National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) — renamed Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM) — provides the national framework; Mahalir Thittam implements it in Tamil Nadu.

Connection to this news: Mahalir Thittam's strong institutional presence across all districts of Tamil Nadu makes it uniquely positioned to mobilise trained SHG collectives as construction delivery teams — combining the scale of PMAY with the organisational depth of the SHG network.

Women's Empowerment Through Property and Income Generation

Economic empowerment of women through secure property rights and income-generating employment is a demonstrated pathway to reducing gender-based vulnerability. PMAY's mandatory female ownership provision, combined with the SHG construction model, creates a compound empowerment effect: women become homeowners (asset accumulation), earn wages through construction (income), and develop certified skills in masonry and civil construction (human capital). Studies from other SHG construction pilots show women masons earning 20-30% more than unskilled farm labour after skill certification.

  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) can certify construction skills — women trained under this initiative can receive Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification.
  • The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Construction Skill Development Council of India (CSDCI) provide construction trade certifications.
  • India's female labour force participation rate in construction sector has been rising; female masons are central to several state government affordable housing programmes in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Odisha.
  • The initiative also aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Connection to this news: The Tamil Nadu SHG construction model represents a convergence of housing policy, women's livelihood promotion, and skill development — a replicable template with national relevance given the scale of unmet PMAY housing construction targets.

Key Facts & Data

  • Tamil Nadu SHG membership: approximately 70 lakh (7 million) women across all districts.
  • Governing institution: Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW), est. 1983.
  • Programme: Mahalir Thittam (state SHG programme under DAY-NRLM framework).
  • PMAY-G assistance: ₹1.20 lakh/unit (plains), ₹1.30 lakh/unit (hilly areas) via DBT.
  • PMAY-G MGNREGS convergence: 90-95 days of unskilled wages per household.
  • Tamil Nadu PMAY-Urban: 1.82 million units identified — leading state in implementation.
  • TN Budget 2025-26: ₹37,000 crore in bank loan target for SHGs; 10,000 new SHGs to be formed.
  • PMAY mandatory feature: housing in name of female household member or in joint name.