Housing scheme glossary

The words you'll meet in every lottery brochure, explained in one or two sentences.

Allotment letter: The official letter confirming that a specific flat or plot has been given to you, with the final price and payment schedule. Some authorities first issue a provisional offer letter and the final allotment letter after verification.
Booklet / Brochure: The PDF published with every scheme. It lists locations, sizes, prices, income limits, quotas, EMD, fees, dates and rules. If the brochure and any website summary disagree, the brochure wins.
Carpet area: The usable floor area inside the walls of a flat, excluding external walls, common areas and balconies (as defined under RERA). Government schemes usually quote carpet area in square metres or square feet.
Circle rate / Ready reckoner rate: The minimum property value set by the state government for a locality. Stamp duty is calculated on the higher of this rate and the actual agreement price.
Computerised draw: A lottery run by software, usually streamed live, that randomly picks winners from all eligible applicants in each category.
Conveyance deed / Sale deed: The registered document that legally transfers ownership of the flat or plot to you after full payment.
Corrigendum: An official correction to an earlier notice or brochure, such as changed dates, prices or rules. Always check for corrigenda before applying.
Demand survey: A registration of interest before a project is finalised. Authorities use it to measure demand and it may require a small deposit. It is not an allotment.
Domicile certificate: A state-issued certificate proving you have lived in that state for a minimum period (for example 15 years for MHADA). Needed for schemes reserved for state residents.
Draw of lots: Another name for a lottery. Winners are selected randomly when there are more eligible applicants than units.
E-auction: Online bidding where the highest valid bid above the reserve price wins. Common for plots and premium properties. There's usually no income limit.
Earnest money deposit (EMD): A refundable deposit paid with your application. It's adjusted against the price if you win and refunded if you don't. It may be forfeited if you win and then withdraw.
EWS: Economically Weaker Section, the lowest income group. PMAY-Urban 2.0 uses up to ₹3 lakh annual household income, while some state lotteries use higher limits.
FCFS: First-come-first-served. Units are booked in the order applicants complete booking and payment, without a lottery.
FSI / FAR: Floor Space Index (or Floor Area Ratio): how much built-up area is allowed on a plot relative to its size. It decides how big a house you can build.
HIG: Higher Income Group, usually the top income category with no upper limit and the largest units.
Income certificate: A certificate from the tehsildar / revenue office stating your family's annual income, used as income proof for EWS / LIG categories.
Land pooling: A scheme where landowners give land to an authority for planned development and get back a smaller developed plot in return.
LIG: Low Income Group. PMAY-Urban 2.0 uses ₹3–6 lakh annual household income. State limits differ.
Lock-in period: A period after allotment (often 5 years or more) during which you may not sell or sometimes rent out the property.
MIG: Middle Income Group, sometimes split into MIG-I and MIG-II. PMAY-Urban 2.0 uses ₹6–9 lakh annual household income.
NOC for mortgage: A no-objection certificate from the authority allowing a bank to take the allotted property as security for a home loan.
Occupancy certificate (OC): A certificate from the local body confirming a building is complete and fit to live in. Check it before taking possession.
PMAY: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the central government's housing mission. PMAY-Urban covers cities and PMAY-Gramin covers villages.
Possession letter: The letter that hands over the flat or plot to you after full payment, allowing you to take the keys.
Provisional list: A list of accepted and rejected applications published before the draw. It's your chance to object if you were wrongly rejected.
Registration money: Term used by many plot schemes (such as YEIDA) for the deposit paid when applying, often 10% of the plot cost. Refundable if you don't win.
Reserve price: The minimum price below which an authority will not sell a property in an auction.
Reserved category / Quota: A share of units kept for specific groups such as SC, ST, OBC, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen, journalists or government employees.
Stamp duty: A state tax paid when registering a property transaction, usually a percentage of the property value. It's charged on top of the flat or plot price.
Waiting list: Applicants drawn after the winners in a lottery. They get a unit in order if winners are found ineligible or surrender.