AMN / NEW DELHI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released financial assistance of around Rs 2,691 crore to over six lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), through video conferencing. The financial assistance includes release of first installment to 5.30 lakh beneficiaries and second installment to 80 thousand beneficiaries who have already availed first installment of assistance under PMAY-G.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister asserted that Atma Nirbhar Bharat is directly linked to the self-confidence of the citizens of the country and a house of one’s own enhances this self-confidence manifold. He listed out various development projects underway in Uttar Pradesh.
The Prime Minister said the scheme was launched five years ago and in a short span of time, PMAY-G has started changing the face of Indian villages. He recalled that during the time of previous governments, the poor did not have the confidence that the government could be of any help in getting their house constructed. The Prime Minister said, the poor had to face the brunt of wrong policies. Mr Modi said, keeping in mind the plight of the poor people, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna was started with an aim to provide every poor family with a house before completion of 75 years of independence.
The Prime Minister said Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna has moved rapidly under the present government and has helped the poorest of the poor in Uttar Pradesh. He stressed on the aspect of women empowerment in the scheme as these units are mostly in the name of women of the family.
The Prime Minister termed Pradha Mantri Swamitva Yojana as a game changer in improving the lives of the people living in rural areas. He said work is going on to provide fast internet access to more than 6 lakh villages through Optical fibers. This project would also create new employment opportunities for the villagers.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister also interacted with beneficiaries of five districts namely Kheeri, Chitrakoot, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Saharanpur.
One of the beneficiaries, Rajkumari from Chitrakoot district of Bundelkhand told Prime Minister Modi that the house she received under the scheme will resolve a lot of problems in her life.
Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present on the occasion.
So far, 1.26 crore houses have already been built across the country under PMAY-G which was launched in November, 2016 by the Prime Minister. Along with the financial grant under the scheme, the beneficiaries of PMAY-G, are also provided support of unskilled labour wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and assistance of Rs 12,000 for construction of toilets through Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin.