A Roof of Dignity: PMAY‑G Gives Elderly a Secure Home

In Chhattisgarh, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) is quietly rewriting the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable by turning makeshift shelters into safe, permanent homes. At the heart of this change is 100 year old Sohd Ram Chakresh of Tangar gawar village in Tangargarh Gram Panchayat, Jashpur district, whose world has been transformed by the pucca house he received under the scheme. His story is not just about a new roof, but about the restoration of safety, health and human dignity at the twilight of life.

From a fragile hut to a secure home

For decades, Sohd Ram Chakresh lived in a temporary, kutcha house that offered little protection from rain, heat or cold. The frail structure made any movement difficult for an elderly man already weakened by age, and his family constantly worried about his safety and comfort. Under PMAY‑G, a properly constructed pucca house was built for him in the financial year 2024-2025, replacing the dilapidated hut and giving him a stable, weather proof living space for the first time.

This new home is particularly significant because Sohd Ram Chakresh is no longer able to move around easily. The solid walls, secure doors and proper flooring provide him a safe enclosure where he can rest without fear of collapse, leaks or extreme temperatures. For an octogenarian or centenarian, such basic physical security translates directly into better health outcomes and a much improved quality of life.

Relief for the entire family

According to family members, caring for the elderly in the old kutcha house was a daily struggle. During the monsoon, rain would seep inside, in winter, the damp and cold made him prone to illness, and in summer, the house offered little respite from the heat. The burden of constant vigilance wore down both the old man’s morale and the family’s energy. With the pucca house, not only has his living condition improved, but the whole household now enjoys a more stable and reassuring environment.

Women and young children in the home, who often shoulder the primary responsibility for an elderly relative’s care, have found their lives easier and safer. The secure structure lowers the risk of accidents and reduces anxiety, while basic amenities like proper ventilation and a dry interior contribute to better hygiene and well being. In this way, PMAY‑G is not merely a housing scheme but a health and welfare initiative for the entire family.

A model of inclusive rural development

Under the leadership of the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, the state has strengthened the implementation of PMAY‑G, ensuring that thousands of deserving rural families receive pucca houses. The scheme uses a combination of census data, local surveys and gram‑sabha validation to identify the most vulnerable, and digital monitoring, geo tagging and direct benefit transfer to guarantee transparency and speed. Tangar gawar is one among many panchayats where this architecture has delivered tangible change.

Sohd Ram Chakresh and his family express deep gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, saying that the scheme has given them a “new direction” in life. What began as a simple promise of a pucca house has become a symbol of government sensitivity towards the elderly and the poor. As more elderly beneficiaries across Chhattisgarh receive similar homes, the vision of “housing for all” is slowly becoming a visible, lived reality in remote villages.