Modi inaugurates 5.21 lakh houses of PMAY beneficiaries in MP

The ownership of homes by women has empowered them and strengthened their say in financial matters of the household, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday after inaugurating 5.21 lakh houses of beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Gramin in Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing the Grah Pravesham programme to hand over new houses to their owners, via video conferencing, Modi said his government has given topmost priority to providing houses to the poor people.

So far, 2.5 crore houses have been constructed under the PMAY scheme in the country. The women are co-owners of about two crore of these houses, he said, adding that a provision has been made in this year's budget to construct 80 lakh more houses under this scheme.

Modi said out of 30.5 lakh houses sanctioned under the PMAY, about 24 lakh have been completed in Madhya Pradesh which has also benefited the tribal population.

“The ownership of houses by women has strengthened their participation in financial decisions of households,” he said.

Modi also said universities across the world and in the country, including Madhya Pradesh, should take up women empowerment through PMAY as a case study.

The pucca houses for the poor is not only a government scheme, but also a commitment to give confidence to the poor to come out of poverty, he said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in the programme from Chattarpur in the state.

On the occasion, Modi accused the previous governments of using four crore fake ration cards to siphon off benefits meant for the poor.

“When these people were in the government, four crore fake people were looting ration meant for the poor. This ration was being sold in the market and money reached the black accounts of such people (who were in government),” Modi said.

But, the present regime, after coming to power in 2014, started searching for such fake and non-existing people and cancelled these ration cards, he said.

The PM said the central government spent Rs 2.60 lakh crore to provide free ration to the poor during the COVID-19 pandemic and will spend Rs 80,000 crore more in the next six months.

Those who used to plunder people's money are now making fun of this scheme, spreading lies and creating confusion, he said.

Modi also said the Centre has taken the responsibility to sort out the problems of women and about six crore families have got tap water connections in the country under the 'Nal Se Jal' scheme.

He said that Madhya Pradesh is near to achieving the target of providing tap water to 50 lakh households in rural areas under this scheme.

"We have the policy to ensure that even the last man in the queue gets the benefit of government schemes," he said.

Modi also called upon people to take a vow to construct 75 'amrit sarovar' (ponds) in every district of the country over the next 12 months, starting from Varsh Pratipada (as per the Hindu calendar), as the nation marks 75 years of its independence.

“If possible, these ponds should be new and bigger,” he said.

The prime minister also congratulated MP CM Chouhan for the record purchase of grains, leaving other states behind on this front.

He also said the government was promoting the use of drone technology and natural farming among cultivators.