The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is a ministry of the Government of India, functioning as the apex institution for formulating and administering policies related to housing and urban development. Its origin traces back to the Ministry of Works, Housing & Supply, established in May 1952. The current MoHUA was formed on July 6, 2017, by merging the erstwhile Ministry of Urban Development and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, aiming to consolidate the administration of urban planning, housing, and poverty alleviation in a rapidly urbanizing nation.
The Ministry works by implementing flagship schemes and administering key legislation. Its mechanism involves centrally sponsored schemes like the Smart Cities Mission, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), which provide basic amenities and affordable housing. It connects to major regulatory frameworks, notably administering the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), which ensures transparency in the real estate sector. Related institutions under its purview include the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the National Capital Region Planning Board.
A significant recent change occurred in July 2026, when the MoHUA was split into two separate departments via an amendment to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. The new structure comprises the Department of Capital Development, which focuses on the National Capital Region (NCR) and central government infrastructure like the DDA and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), and the Department of Urban Development, which retains the broader urban policy, housing, and flagship schemes like AMRUT and the Swachh Bharat Mission.