Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Wednesday that the Ministry has spent Rs 1.03 lakh crore on rural development and social welfare schemes so far in the current financial year, out of the total budget allocation of Rs 1.84 lakh crore.
“We are working tirelessly to fulfill the Prime Minister’s vision by connecting rural communities with employment opportunities and essential facilities,” Chouhan stated at a press conference.
The minister highlighted that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), a target of constructing 2.95 crore houses by March 2024 had been set. Of these, almost all have been sanctioned, and 2.67 crore houses have already been completed. Recognizing the program’s success and the ongoing demand for rural housing, the scheme has been extended to construct an additional 2 crore houses over the next five years at an estimated cost of over Rs 3.06 lakh crore.
To ensure no eligible family is excluded, the exclusion criteria have been relaxed. Conditions such as owning a mechanized fishing boat, refrigerator, or landline phone have been removed, while the income threshold for exclusion has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.
Chouhan also explained that financial assistance for constructing these houses is being provided through various government schemes. Under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), a 3% interest subvention is offered for projects up to Rs 2 crore, with a repayment period of seven years. Additionally, under the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) Scheme, a 33.33% subsidy is provided for storage infrastructure, and margin money requirements for PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) have been reduced from 20% to 10%.
Each house under PMAY-G includes basic amenities such as toilets, cooking gas connections, and electricity through integration with schemes like the Swachh Bharat Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, and Saubhagya Yojana. Beneficiaries also receive 90–95 days of wage support under MGNREGA for constructing their homes. Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Scheme, solar rooftop connections are provided to reduce electricity costs.
So far, 38 lakh houses have been allocated to 18 states under the new target, with Rs 10,668 crore already disbursed. States have been urged to release their share promptly and submit proposals for further installments.
Highlighting the efficiency of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, Chouhan noted that over 10 lakh beneficiaries received their first installment in one click, authorized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event in Bhubaneswar. On September 17, 2024, PM Modi also approved 15 lakh houses and released Rs 3,180 crore for over 10 lakh beneficiaries. Additionally, more than 26 lakh houses have been handed over to their owners.
The minister also emphasized the ongoing development under PMGSY-III (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), with 6,614 km of roads approved between June 9 and December 2, 2024. Another 2,337 km of roads were sanctioned under the PM-Janman scheme, and over 68,000 Amrit Sarovars (water reservoirs) have been constructed or revived.
Highlighting the empowerment of rural women, Chouhan mentioned that over 1.15 crore women have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’ through self-help groups under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
The government is also set to revamp the Jan MGNREGA App to enhance transparency and gather citizen feedback on the scheme’s implementation. Provisions for socially disadvantaged groups—50% SC/ST, 15% minorities, and 33% women—remain integral, with special attention to manual scavengers, persons with disabilities, and female-headed households.
Chouhan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing any shortcomings in MGNREGA and PMAY-G implementation and promised that additional funds would be allocated if the demand exceeds initial estimates.
(Inputs from IANS)