India, Feb. 6 -- The Odisha government has asked all concerned departments to identify vacant and unutilised government buildings in urban areas so that they can be converted into affordable rental housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban 2.0.

In a letter issued to senior officers, Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Housing & Urban Development Department, said that while earlier housing policies mainly focused on ownership, the PMAY Urban 2.0 scheme has introduced a rental housing model to address the needs of people who cannot afford to buy homes.

The government said affordable rental housing is especially important for urban migrants, industrial workers, working women and other sections of the u...