PUNJAB JUMPS TO 3RD RANK UNDER GRAMIN AWAS YOJNA AT NATIONAL LEVEL: TRIPT BAJWA

Chandigarh, May 27, 2019: Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat and Housing and Urban Development Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa here today said that Punjab has ranked three among the states at the national level under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin).

He said the State was assigned the target of construction of 14,000 houses out of which 13,004 had been completed that was 93 per cent achievement. The construction of remaining houses was at advanced stage.

Mr. Bajwa further said that in September last year, the State had constructed only 1212 houses and was at 26thRank amongst all the States. In light of this, the entire machinery of the Rural Development Department was galvanized and a big push was given to this scheme. He claimed it was a big achievement going by the 2018 ranking, he said.

The minister said that, he had taken up the matter with the centre to relax the definition of Kutcha House so that more poor people in the state become eligible under this scheme.

Mr. Anurag Verma, Financial Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayats said the sum of Rs 1.2 lacs is given to eligible beneficiaries under this scheme. In addition to this, MGNREGA labour of 90 man-days worth Rs. 21,690/- is provided, he added. He further said the beneficiary is also provided Rs. 12,000/- under MGNREGA for construction of a toilet in the house. Thus each eligible family is provided a total benefit of Rs. 1,53,690/- for construction of the house, he said.

He said that in order to bring in transparency in the implementation of this Scheme, Geo Tagged Photographs of the house are uploaded through Mobile Application 'Awaas Aap'. This is done at three stages i.e. Before Construction, Lintel Level and at Completion Level, he added.