Working with the aim to uplift the lives of people below poverty line, Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Monday promised houses and all basic amenities to the poor by the year 2020. The CM while addressing a gathering at Harmu Ground on the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi said that the poor and the homeless people of the State would get affordable housing, electricity, water connection, lPG and all basic amenities by 2020.
“Senior officials have been instructed to work for the betterment of the poor, who are forced to migrate to different cities in search of proper livelihood,” he said.
The CM was speaking on the event of ‘GrihPraveshPujanutsav’ to mark the success of initiating the task of constructing houses under the affordable housing scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) for urban poor.
Notably, under PMAY-U scheme 91,241 houses are to be constructed across the State for the beneficiaries. So far, construction of 20,051 houses has been completed in different districts of the State. In the State Capital, 14,993 houses have to be constructed for the beneficiaries entitled under this scheme. As per the records, construction of 3,000 houses for urban poor under PMAY-U has been completed, whereas 8,400 houses are under construction here.
The CM, on the occasion, also declared all 41 Urban local Bodies (UlBs) across the State Open Defecation Free (ODF). A number of the UlBs had achieved the ODF target in the given deadline. The record suggests that around 2.8 lakh toilets have been constructed across the State.
Terming the initiative of PM has a revolutionary step; Das said that by 2018, Jharkhand will rise as a leader setting example for other States in sanitation. Das instructed the ward councillors to conduct a monthly meet for keeping their respective wards clean while gearing up for the upcoming sanitation challenge. The CM said that focus must be on improving the grading received earlier by Ministry, Urban Development, GoI under ‘Swachchhta Sarvekshan’ challenge.
Glorifying the 1000 successful days of the State government, Minister, Department of Urban Development, Transportation and Housing CP Singh said, “In 14 years since the formation of Jharkhand, the then ruling Government were just able to construct 19,000 toilets across the State. However, in past 1000 days, we have been able to construct more than 2 lakh toilets across Jharkhand.”
Principal Secretary, Department of Urban development and Housing, Arun Singh highlighting on the past records, said, “Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, by far, only 7,000 houses were constructed for the urban poor. The department will complete the construction of 71,000 houses by January 2018.”
Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma, Secretary to CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Development Commissioner Amit Khare, Ranhi Municipal Commissioner Shantanu Kumar Agrahari, Mayor Ashalakra, Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) Chairperson Parma Singh alongwith all the beneficiaries were present on the occasion.