The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) celebrated World Habitat Day 2026 on the theme ‘Adequate Housing for All’ with a focus on strengthening the urban housing ecosystem through innovation, policy reforms, technology and sustainable financing.
The guest of honour for the event was Shri Tokhan Sahu, Hon’ble Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs. Shri Satendra Singh, Secretary, Department of Urban Development, MoHUA; Smt. D Thara, Secretary, Department of Capital Development, MoHUA, Shri Kumar Ravikant Singh, Joint Secretary and Mission Director (JS&MD), Housing for All/Housing Division, representatives of UN-Habitat, senior officials from Ministry, Principal Secretaries from States and Union Territories and other stakeholders also attended the event, marked by participation of UN agencies, HUDCO, NHB among others.
The celebration provided a platform to highlight India’s continued efforts towards ensuring access to safe, affordable, inclusive and dignified housing, while recognising the contributions of States/UTs and other stakeholders towards achieving the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) and PMAY-U 2.0.
The event showcased the progress and diverse approaches being adopted towards achieving the objective of “Housing for All”, including best practices under PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0. As part of the PMAY-U Awards 2026, Best Performing States/UTs under PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0 were felicitated, along with ULBs, partner agencies/stakeholders recognising their performance in implementing housing initiatives, including rental housing.
State/UT with highest completion of BLC houses against total sanction under PMAY-U
State/UT with highest completion of BLC houses against total sanction under PMAY-U (North-Eastern, Hilly States and UTs)
State/UT with highest completion of AHP houses against total sanction under PMAY-U
State/UT with highest number of groundings against total sanction of houses under PMAY-U 2.0
State/UT with highest number of groundings against total sanction of houses under PMAY-U 2.0 (North-Eastern, Hilly States and UTs)
Best PLI Award for highest number of loans sanctioned under ISS
Best Practice of Town Planning Scheme (TPS) procedure
Best Practices of mandatorily land reservation for EWS/LIG in private colonies for AHP vertical
Fastest Completed ARH Project under PMAY-U 2.0 (Naidupetta, Tripati Urban Development Authority, Andhra Pradesh)
Premier Energy Global Environment Pvt. Ltd.
Public Agency with highest number of houses completed and operational under ARHCs
Private Agency with highest number of houses completed and operational under ARHCs
Special recognition Award for highest percentage of houses sanctioned against target under PMAY-U 2.0 among Large States
State with Highest number of reforms achieved under PMAY-U 2.0
ULB with highest completion of BLC houses against total sanction under PMAY-U (1-5 Lakh Population)
ULB with highest completion of BLC houses against total sanction under PMAY-U (Below 1 Lakh Population)
The event also featured videos on best practices related to Housing for All, providing an opportunity to showcase innovative approaches and experiences from across the country for their further replication by other States/UTs.
It was also announced that PMAY-U Awards are being institutionalised to recognise and celebrate exemplary contributions and achievements of States, UTs, ULBs and partner agencies/stakeholders under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban. Furthermore, the awards will be held every year on the occasion of World Habitat Day, highlighting innovative practices, effective implementation and outstanding efforts towards achieving the goal of ‘Housing for All’. This annual recognition will further encourage healthy competition, promote best practices and inspire stakeholders to strengthen the delivery of affordable and quality housing across the country.
The event was also marked by the release of publications of organisations under MoHUA, which included HUDCO, NCHF, NHB, CGEWHO, HUDCO and BMTPC. Apart from the release of publications, prize distribution ceremony for winners of painting competitions organised by NHB, HUDCO and BMTPC for school children, including specially abled children, in various competitions was organised to commemorate the event.
The event also featured the launch of a mobile application and revamped websites of PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0, aimed at strengthening access to information and improving the beneficiary experience through digital platforms.
The World Habitat Day event also provided a platform for wider deliberations on emerging urban housing challenges and possible solutions. Three different technical sessions, focussing on rental housing, regulatory frameworks and affordable housing technologies and financing, brought together stakeholders to discuss approaches for expanding access to adequate and affordable housing.
Technical Sessions to Deliberate on Emerging Urban Housing Challenges
It featured thematic technical sessions on topics such as rental housing, bridging the Demand–Supply Gap in housing and role of innovative construction technologies in affordable housing sector, bringing together policymakers, experts, financial institutions, industry stakeholders and other partners to deliberate on key challenges and opportunities for building a stronger and more sustainable housing ecosystem.
The technical deliberations focused on three areas:
1. Structural Challenges and Enabling Measures for Unlocking the Potential of Rental Housing: The session examined the structural and institutional challenges affecting the availability and scalability of rental housing in urban areas. Discussions focused on creating an enabling ecosystem for Affordable Rental Housing, including suitable regulatory frameworks, land and infrastructure availability, investment mechanisms, effective property management and greater participation of public and private sector stakeholders.
The deliberations also explored measures to strengthen rental housing as a viable and dignified housing option for urban migrants, workers, students, working women and other mobile and vulnerable sections of the urban population.
2. Regulatory Measures to Bridge the Demand–Supply Gap in Housing: The second session focused on regulatory and policy measures required to address the persistent mismatch between demand and supply of affordable housing in urban areas. Deliberations covered the need for streamlined approvals, efficient land-use planning, enabling development regulations, improved coordination among stakeholders and measures to facilitate faster delivery of affordable housing.
3. Low-Cost Indigenous Technologies and Financing Instruments for Scaling Resilient and Affordable Housing: The third session focused on the role of innovative, low-cost and indigenous construction technologies in accelerating housing delivery while improving quality, resilience, resource efficiency and affordability.
The discussions emphasised the need to combine technological innovation with appropriate financing solutions to enable large-scale delivery of safe, climate-resilient and affordable homes.
The technical sessions underscored the need for a coordinated approach involving Government, States and UTs, Urban Local Bodies, financial institutions, private sector, technology providers, academia and other stakeholders to address the evolving housing needs of India’s rapidly urbanising population.
The World Habitat Day 2026 celebrations reaffirmed India’s commitment to ensuring that every urban household has access to safe, affordable and dignified housing, contributing to the broader vision of an inclusive and Viksit Bharat.