'Now government reaches out to people': PM Modi on housing scheme for rural under NDA regime

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the Centre's flagship housing scheme for the rural poor stresses on transparency and the government is now reaching out to the poor instead of the other way around.

The Prime Minister was speaking after inaugurating 1.75 lakh houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) in Madhya Pradesh. PM Modi was participating in the 'Grih Pravesh' programme through video conference.

"In 2014, past experiences were studied and then changes were made in the old scheme, further the PM Awas Yojana was implemented with an entirely new thought. Preference was given to transparency in the selection of beneficiaries to Grih-Pravesh," Modi said.

"Earlier the poor used to run behind the government, now our government is reaching out to the people. No one's name can be added or deleted from the list (of beneficiaries) on anyone's wish, from selection to construction a scientific and transparent method is being adopted," Modi said.

He also said that now houses are being constructed taking the local requirements into account and even the usage of materials which are readily available in the region is being promoted.

"Be it the PM Awas Yojana or the toilets being constructed under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, they are not only benefitting the poor but are also big sources of employment and empowerment. These schemes are playing a big role in changing the lives of our brothers and sisters living in the rural areas," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that apart from building houses, the Centre through PM Garib Kalyan Yojana is also ensuring water connection to them, apart from construction of roads, wells, and other facilities for the betterment of the villages.

"I had said on August 15 from the Red Fort that in the next thousand days optical fibres will be laid out in six lakh villages in the country. Earlier, the plan was to make the fibre reach two and a half lakh panchayats in the country, but now the pledge is to make it reach every village," Modi said.

Modi also interacted with some of the beneficiaries of the project during the event.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others also took part in the program held today.

(ANI)

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