Centre has spent Rs 1.03 lakh crore on rural schemes for poor in current fiscal year: Shivraj Chouhan

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday that the Ministry has spent Rs 1.03 lakh crore on rural development and social welfare schemes out of the total budget allocation of Rs 1.84 lakh crore for the current financial year.

“We are working day and night to fulfil the Prime Minister’s resolution by connecting rural communities with employment opportunities and essential facilities,” he said at a press conference here.

The minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin, a target of constructing 2.95 crore houses was set by March 2024, out of which almost all houses have been sanctioned, and 2.67 crore houses have been completed.

Recognising the success of this programme and the need for rural housing, the scheme has been extended, and 2 crore additional houses will be constructed over the next five years, he added.

These 2 crore new houses will be built at an estimated cost of more than Rs 3.06 lakh crore. To ensure no eligible family is left out of the scheme’s benefits, the exclusion criteria have been reduced from 13 to 10 as exclusions such as owning a mechanised fishing boat, refrigerator, or landline phone have been removed, the minister said.

Additionally, the income threshold for exclusion has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.

He said the government has taken this decision after consultations with stakeholders, removing unnecessary conditions to truly achieve the goal of housing for all.

Chouhan said that the government’s goal in uplifting rural India is not just to provide housing but also to ensure basic amenities in these homes. Beneficiaries are provided with 90-95 days of wage support under MGNREGA for constructing their homes. Integration with other welfare schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, and Saubhagya Yojana ensures facilities like toilets, cooking gas, and electricity.

Moreover, under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme, solar rooftop connections are provided to beneficiaries, reducing their electricity bills. Every house built under this scheme is a complete home with all essential facilities. This scheme lays the foundation for poverty-free villages and a developed India, the minister added.

He said that out of the newly approved target of 2 crore houses, approximately 38 lakh houses have been allocated to 18 states, and Rs 10,668 crore in funds has been released to these states. There is no shortage of funds for this scheme. States are requested to release their share promptly, utilise the funds, and send proposals for the next instalment to receive the central government’s share.

The minimum house size has been set at 25 square meters, including a clean cooking area. Financial assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh in plain areas and Rs 1.30 lakh in northeastern and hilly states is provided. Payments are efficiently made through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). This year, over 10 lakh beneficiaries received their first instalment in a single click by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar, he observed.

He also said that on 17th September 2024, PM Modi issued approval letters for 15 lakh houses and released Rs 3,180 crore as the first instalment for over 10 lakh beneficiaries via Aadhaar-based transfers. Additionally, more than 26 lakh houses were handed over to their owners.

He also said that if any state identifies shortcomings in MNREGA and PM Awas Yojana, action will be taken, reaffirming the government’s commitment. He emphasised that schemes like MNREGA are demand-based, and if the allocated budget falls short, additional funds are sought from the Finance Ministry based on state demands, with continuous revisions made accordingly.

Under PMGSY-III, a total of 6,614 km of roads have been approved from June 9, 2024, to December 2, 2024, while another 2,337 km of roads have been approved during this period under PM-Janman. Besides the construction or revival work of over 68,000 Amrit Sarovars has also been completed.

He also said that over 1.15 crore women have become ‘Lakhpati Didi’ under DAY-NRLM through self-help groups so far, and this campaign is ongoing.

The minister said that it has been decided to revamp the existing Jan MGNREGA App, which facilitates a feedback mechanism for the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, ensuring proactive disclosure of information to citizens

The scheme mandates coverage of socially disadvantaged groups, comprising 50 per cent SC/ST, 15 per cent minorities, and 33 per cent women, with a special focus on manual scavengers, persons with disabilities, and female-headed households.

–IANS

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