The Himachal Pradesh government is providing a housing grant of Rs 0.15 million (mn) to eligible economically weaker families for the construction of pucca houses under the Swaran Jayanti Ashray Yojana, administered by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. In a recent distribution, 114 families in Jogindernagar in Mandi district received the grant, enabling them to secure permanent homes. The scheme continues to accept applications for the 2026-27 period. To qualify, beneficiaries must be permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh and belong to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes. Applicants must not already own a house, and the land on which the proposed dwelling is to be built must be recorded in the applicant's name in official revenue documents. The state has set an annual family income ceiling of Rs 50,000 for eligibility. The scheme operates under the Swaran Jayanti Ashray Yojana Rules of 1975 and is structured as a direct grant rather than a loan to assist families who own land but lack construction funds. Applications may be submitted online via the state welfare portal or offline through the relevant tehsil or district welfare officer. Applicants are required to provide a Himachali Bonafide Certificate issued by an executive magistrate, a caste certificate, an income certificate and land records such as the Tatima and Jamabandi. Local verification requirements include a gram sabha proposal, a spot report, a no objection certificate and a site photograph verified by the local pradhan. Officials say the scheme has helped many families move from dilapidated or fragile dwellings into sturdier pucca homes, and in Mandi district authorities reported that disbursements over recent years totalled tens of mn Rs to support construction of two, three and four room houses. The scheme is presented as part of the state government's wider effort to extend housing security to vulnerable population segments and to complement central housing initiatives. The report did not specify the total budget allocation for 2026-27 or a statewide beneficiary tally.