Preserving vernacular architecture and sustainability in rural housing through PMAY-G

Author: Sarvajit Sanjeev, M.A. Social Entrepreneurship, TISS, Mumbai and Research Intern, BNSK Introduction: Housing in rural India is not merely a physical structure; it embodies generational heritage, sustains rural economies, and serves as a space for social and cultural reproduction (Kumar et al., 2017). Recognizing the centrality of housing to rural well-being, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)in 2016 under the Ministry of Rural Development. This scheme aims to provide "Housing for All" by offering financial

Fig- Unfinished PMAY-G house of Mr. Darma Kanta Gogoi, Borkula Village (Dibrugarh, Assam) assistance to homeless and inadequately housed rural households. It builds upon the legacy of the Indira Awas Yojana(1985), which was the first national attempt to address rural housing for people below the poverty line. Under PMAY-G, beneficiaries receive INR 1,20,000 in plain areas and INR 1,30,000 in hilly regions as direct financial support for constructing a dwelling unit. The scheme is further integrated with other central initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana, and Saubhagya Yojana, thereby striving for a holistic rural habitat (Government of India, 2025). PMAY-G targets the construction of nearly 2.95 crore houses by 2028–29, aiming to bridge the rural housing deficit while promoting social inclusion. Despite this ambitious vision, critical challenges remain in its implementation. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development (Nair, 2025) noted that several eligible beneficiaries remain excluded due to issues such as unavailability of clear land titles, lack of documentation, and administrative delays. Additionally, the scheme’s financial allocation often proves inadequate in constructing resilient and context-sensitive housing, especially in environmentally vulnerable or culturally diverse regions. One of the major limitations of PMAY-G is its reliance on standardized design templates that lack sensitivity to vernacular architecture, local climate conditions, and traditional spatial practices. The scheme often envisions housing as uniform, detached units that fail to accommodate the multi-functional and intergenerational nature of rural homes. This undermines both the ecological sustainability and socio-cultural coherence of rural settlements (Kurowska & Kowalczyk, 2022). Accordingly, this paper investigates how the PMAY-G framework can be augmented to incorporate sustainability principles and vernacular architectural traditions, ensuring that rural housing is not only affordable but also resilient, culturally rooted, and environmentally sustainable. Legal and Policy Framework: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) represents a significant policy initiative aimed at addressing India’s rural housing deficit. From a legal and policy standpoint, its foundation rests on earlier frameworks that progressively recognized housing as a productive investment rather than a consumptive expenditure. For instance, the National Housing Policy of 1988 emphasized that housing should be treated as a driver of social development and employment generation. It highlighted the need for essential housing amenities such as kitchens, potable water, sanitation, electricity, drainage, and access roads (Kumar et al., 2017, p. 21).

Despite this early recognition, rural housing has remained under-prioritized in subsequent national frameworks. The National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy (NUHHP) 2007 predominantly focused on urban areas, driven by the higher return on investment (RoI) associated with urban housing markets. The relatively low RoI in rural housing projects led to reduced private sector participation and consequently limited government investment.

Comparative global experiences offer valuable insights. The Turkish Housing Model, for example, underscores the value of integrating local construction materials, owner income levels, and socio-cultural habits into rural housing design. Traditional Turkish homes typically reflect greater harmony with the environment than contemporary constructions, blending indigenous architecture with modern techniques (Usta et al., 2017, pp. 231-236).

Similarly, India possesses a rich tradition of regional housing models that are inherently sustainable and culturally contextual. The Nalukettu architectural style from Kerala, for instance, features a central courtyard flanked by four blocks, each dedicated to specific household functions such as cooking, dining, sleeping, and grain storage. This design also includes integrated water storage facilities, bathing tanks, and cattle shelters, making it ideally suited for joint families and agrarian lifestyles (Ketki, 2021).

The current PMAY-G framework, however, fails to leverage these indigenous architectural forms. It continues to apply standardized design norms, often using industrial materials such as cement and bricks, which are environmentally taxing and financially burdensome. There is a pressing need for the scheme to adopt a decentralized and regionally adaptive policy approach, one that accommodates traditional knowledge systems and environmentally sensitive practices while ensuring affordability and resilience. Key Challenges and Analytical Insights in Rural Housing One of the main challenges in rural housing is the shortage of houses. However, the recent

implementation of PMAY-G has ensured housing availability to 3.5 crore beneficiaries, expecting another two crore beneficiaries to be added by 2028-29 (Ministry of Rural Development). Another challenge is the shortage of funds being provided to the beneficiaries. Currently, the amount provided to the beneficiary to construct their house is Rs 1,20,000 for plain areas and Rs 1,30,000 for hilly areas. This amount often falls short in terms of covering the entire structure, which is usually required by the rural household to finish their house. Rural houses have been constructed for generations, with costs much higher than the income of the household members. Much structural sensitivity needs to be considered while constructing the rural house. A rural house should have space for family members and accommodate cattle and grain.

Fig- A house design layout constructed under the PMAY-G scheme in Meghalaya For example, we have taken a model of a rural house constructed under the PMAY-G scheme in Meghalaya above. The house consists of a Verandah, a Sitting and Dining Hall, a Kitchen, and a Bedroom, and the total area is 355 sq. ft. This space is less compared to the existing rural houses in Meghalaya. Space is important as it promotes an active lifestyle, reduces stress, and improves air quality. It also holds great importance in terms of socializing and entertainment, which becomes important in the growth and development of the individual members. With limited space, mobility is reduced to a great extent. Also, the inner air quality is affected by reduced circulation. In addition, no space is provided for keeping any grains or livestock. Also, the use of materials needs to be considered, as most of them are industrial grade, suitable for urban settings, and use urban-type methods and tools. Rural housing should ideally consist of different components, such as natural space, which provides space for the survival of the biological species and also has ecological value; social space, where human beings thrive and interact with each other to provide meaningful experiences; cultural space, where the traditions and habits can be practiced freely without any obstruction, and economic space where the households perform their economic activities such as rearing livestock and cattle, doing traditional art and craft for the market. Also, the space should be characterized by limitedness, resistance, and variation (Kurowska, 2022). When we bring these aspects into the Indian context, we realize the importance of spaces, as most rural communities are engaged in rearing livestock, storing grains, practicing rituals and ceremonies, producing local handicrafts, and processing grains for livelihood. These are missing from the rural housing scheme, which has been undertaken for many years by different governments. There is a need to adopt the SDGs regarding Sustainable rural habitat. The rural habitat must be an enabler of economic activities comprising social, human, financial, natural, and physical capital. In terms of aligning it with the SDGs, they mainly include Physical capital (SDG11), which is disaster resistance, durability of the house, cultural alignment of the house, Natural capital (SDG 13), which provides for the conservation of virgin resources and energy efficiency in construction, Financial capital (SDG 8) which provides for the monetary value and economic activity that can be carried out, Human Capital (SDG 4) providing opportunities for skills enhancement and livelihood generation, Social Capital (SDG 1) which provides the necessities to survive such as a house, water, energy, and sanitation. Policy Recommendations and Best Practices:

Considering the implications of rural housing on the lives of rural families, we have understood that it is important to give place to traditional architectural styles and adopt sustainability practices when it comes to rural housing in the PMAY-G program. While constructing the rural house, emphasis must be placed upon the physical, natural, financial, human, and social capital. Rural houses are not just living spaces but also spaces where cultural practices and livelihood activities are undertaken. Hence, it becomes important to include the layout to enable the household members to practice their social, cultural, and economic habits. The amount of space allocated under the PMAY-G for one house is much less, and this needs to be extended considering the essential capital aspects. Instead of a one-time financial aid, emphasis can be placed on providing finance with low interest, which can be repaid by the beneficiary over a more extended period of time. Also, having locally available raw materials would make housing costs affordable and promote entrepreneurial efforts and sustainability in the community. The works of eminent architect Laurie Baker can be taken into account. He suggested using locally available materials to construct rural houses with enough space, ventilation, and lighting. His construction style involved using the materials of the village and improving sustainability. Some traditional architectural forms and practices that can be drawn for insights include the Vastu Shastra principles for design, layout, measurements, space arrangement, and spatial geometry. Current construction mainly relies on far-away concrete, which impacts the environment. Also, cement production causes much pollution, and sand mining causes water pollution and riverbed depletion. One of the examples of traditional Indian houses that can be considered is the Dhajji Dewari House design from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. They are made by partially cutting the mountain slope, and the walls are raised to enclose a rectangular space. This kind of house requires very little energy, such as electricity for heating, and there is enough space for light and ventilation. The house is divided into three parts: the front part is for daytime activities, the inner parts for sleeping, and also where the cattle are kept. The Nalukettu form of house design from Kerala has a courtyard at the central space and is divided into four blocks. Each block has separate families and rooms. This form is very appropriate for joint families. The Chang house is an example from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, where bamboo is prominent. The houses are usually raised by 1.5-2 m from the ground to provide safety from flooding during the monsoon seasons. This ground space is used for storing animal feed and also canoes to be used during flooding. The inner part of the house is usually warm, as bamboo keeps the interior part warmer. States have different styles and designs based on geographical suitability and adaptability. This needs to be considered when constructing a rural house, and having a default pattern may not be appropriate. More thought must be given to ecological diversity as rural households co-exist with animals and cattle. Conclusion:

Policymakers need to consider the different styles and materials used for rural housing. The importance of space and the geographical context in which the housing project is undertaken must be given. The use of materials that are more suitable for urban contexts needs to be reconsidered, as villages are places with ample resources. Using locally available resources promotes sustainability and, at the same time, safeguards the environment. The cement from faraway places contributes to pollution, and the sand that is brought contributes to riverbed depletion. The availability of finance with short-term interest instead of a one-time amount will help the beneficiaries to take upon the housing projects themselves. Also, community members may be provided with skills training on house construction, providing them with employment opportunities. Housing is a core component of the rural identity and the work of generations. They are more like symbols and representations of the past. Hence, preserving the symbol becomes important for rural housing projects like PMAY-G. This can be done by involving local community members while taking up the projects to understand the importance of each component. Providing capacity-building training to the community can also help make the local resources available for the projects. While undertaking the sustainability aspect, houses can be built using the local resources from the community (Pourtaheri and Hemmati, 2017). These resources can have durability and recyclability aspects. Overall, the housing projects can become more sustainable through the commitment and involvement of the community members, understanding their practices, and considering the sustainability aspect, which is already present in most of the village households. References:

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