Patna

The Bihar government on Thursday urged the Centre to immediately release Rs 7,748.49 crore pending under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Bihar Rural Development Minister Sharwan Kumar met Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi and requested the release of the second part of the first instalment and the entire second instalment of PMAY-G funds amounting to Rs 4,491 crore for the completion of the pucca-houses for poor in the rural areas.

He also sought the immediate release of Rs 3,257.49 crore for the payment of labourers engaged under MGNREGA.

According to a statement issued by the state Rural Development Department, the ministers discussed several central schemes being implemented in Bihar, including PMAY-G, MGNREGA and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).

It said the implementation of these schemes was being hindered due to the non-release of funds as per the ministry’s procedures.

The progress of each scheme and the status of pending dues were reviewed during the meeting.

Regarding PMAY-G, the statement said in the financial year 2025-26, only the first part of the first instalment amounting to Rs 1,497 crore had been released so far. The second part of the first instalment and the entire second instalment—together estimated at Rs 4,491 crore—remain pending.

"So far, 11,35,799 families have received the first installment, 7,46,992 families have received the second installment, and 3,26,770 families have received the third. Currently, second installment payments to 3,88,807 beneficiaries and third installment payments to 4,20,222 beneficiaries are pending", the statement added.

Under the material head of MGNREGA, liabilities totalling Rs 3,257.49 crore (including dues for FY 2025-26) remain unpaid. These include Rs 623.57 crore from 2023-24 and earlier years, Rs 2,119.86 crore from 2024-25, and Rs 514.05 crore from 2025-26, it said. An additional central share of Rs 1,577.99 crore is required to clear these material liabilities, it added.

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For DAY-NRLM, the Ministry has approved an annual action plan of Rs 4,221 crore for 2025-26. "However, against the approved amount, only Rs 1,407 crore has been released so far, while the rest is pending," the minister conveyed to the Union Minister, according to the statement.

Shrawan Kumar, who also holds the portfolio of the transport department, also met Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari in the national capital.