Exclusion by design: a case study of an Indian urban housing subsidy scheme

Abstract The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)—Housing for All mission (PMAY-U), a flagship of the Government India, aims to address need affordable housing in urban areas through five different schemes. One these schemes is subsidy scheme, Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), which has significantly contributed success PMAY-U. However, design CLSS scheme favors households considered creditworthy, with stable and secure income streams. This article examines gap between policy practice explore how biases get embedded into policy, resulting exclusion economically vulnerable households. Schneider Ingram’s Social Construction Target Population (SCTP) framework used identify target groups involved chain. These policymakers were interviewed understand their interpretations concept housing. Using relational lens, are compared know meanings represented within documents. analysis presents two key insights. First, power interests predict representation policymaking. Second, privatized implementation embeds negative selectivism creating exclusionary tendencies design. Lastly, given shrinking welfare state across globe, this study raises critical question “who benefits who loses?” while challenging normative aspects goal