What this scheme offers
A sub-scheme under PM Awas Yojana-Urban, ARHC addresses a gap most housing schemes miss: many urban migrants don't want or can't afford to own a home in the city where they work, but still need decent, secure rental accommodation near their job rather than a slum or informal settlement. ARHC units come as single-room (up to 30 sqm) or double-room (up to 60 sqm) dwelling units, or dormitory beds (up to 10 sqm), with basic civic infrastructure — water, sanitation, electricity, road access. The scheme runs through two models: Model I converts existing government-funded vacant housing (built under earlier schemes like JnNURM) into rental complexes via a 25-year concession; Model II lets private and public entities build new complexes on their own vacant land, with incentives like GST exemption and a Technology Innovation Grant for using efficient construction methods. Projects are committed to rental use only, for a minimum of 25 years.
Who is eligible
- Urban migrants and the urban poor from EWS/LIG income categories — including labourers, street vendors, rickshaw pullers, industrial workers, market/trade association workers, hospitality staff, and students.
- Preference is given to SC/ST/OBC applicants, widows, working women, persons with disabilities, and minorities, within the EWS/LIG eligibility band.
- This is rental-only housing — residents don't own the unit and can't take a home loan against it, though sustained tenancy can later support eligibility for PMAY's ownership-track assistance.
Documents required
- Identity proof (Aadhaar)
- Documentation confirming EWS/LIG income status
- Proof of migrant/worker status, or student enrolment proof, as applicable
How to apply
- Visit arhc.mohua.gov.in to check for ARHC projects operational or under construction in your city.
- Contact the listed operating agency for that complex directly, or apply through the portal where an online application is available.
- Submit your income and migrant/worker/student status documents for eligibility verification.
- Once approved, you pay the regulated monthly rent to occupy a unit or dormitory bed — there's no purchase or loan process involved.
- Availability varies significantly by city — ARHC projects are concentrated in major industrial and urban centres, and are still expanding.