Providing homes to the poor is a top most priority for the government. This is the reason why along with the execution of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the State Government is going to launch the Uttarakhand Jan Awas Yojana soon, said chief minister Harish Rawat. He was speaking at a programme held to mark the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) wherein approval letters were presented to 200 selected beneficiaries by the CM along with Tehri MP Mala Rajya laxmi Shah and the state rural development miniter Pitam Singh here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that ensuring shelter for all is one of the purposes behind the regularization of slum settlements. He said, “A considerable number of homeless persons were provided homes under the Indira Awas Yojana. Now making further improvements in this, the Indira Awas Yojana has been named the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (rural) from 2016-17. In the interests of the poor, the State government will ensure that this programme is executed in the proper manner. Just like we bolstered the Jan Dhan Yojana and Kisan Beema Yojana from out side, the state government will similarly try to add something from its side to this scheme so that the benmefit can be provide to the intended beneficiaries. The Uttarakhand Jan Awas Yojana will be started on Deccember 15 and about 35,000 homes will be constructed under the scheme,” said the CM.
Stating that social and economic change in the state can be brought about only by involving the women, Rawat said that various schemes had been initiated for facilitate women welfare nad women empowerment for enhancing their participation in economic activities. He also referred to the Hamari Kanya, Hamara Abhiman, Gaura Devi Kanya Dhan Yojana and various other schemes being provided by the state government for women of various age groups and varied requirements. The State Government is also providing Rs 5,000 per women self help group and Rs 20,000 as community investment fund as financial assistance. A sum of Rs one lakh is also being provided to women self help groups which come forward to undertake community farming on leased land, added Rawat. A women health campaign is also being undertaken in the state, said the CM.
Expressing her views on the occasion, the Tehri MP Mala Rajya laxmi Shah said that it is vital for the Central and State Governments to work together for ensuring successful execution of public welfare government schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana will prove to be an important factors in the provision of shelter to the homeless, added the MP.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the state rural development minister Pritam Singh stressed on the importance of observing due care in the selection of beneficiaries under the scheme.
Principal secretary Manisha Panwar informed about the scheme and the categorisation of intended beneficiaries who will be selected on the basis of the social, economic and caste census-2011. A total of 21,930 beneficiary families have been selected in the state on the basis of the said survey. These comprise 5445 scheduled caste, 1548 scheduled tribe and 5062 families from the minority communities. The authorities have set a target to provide benefit of this scheme in 2016-17 to 8,120 families.