New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released financial assistance of around Rs 2691 crores to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh, under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G). Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present during the announcement.

Announcing the big benefit for the beneficiaries via video conferencing, the prime minister said, “We have seen the situation during regime of previous governments. I am talking about Uttar Pradesh especially, the poor didn’t believe that the government can help them in constructing a house. The previous Awaas schemes, the kind of houses built under them was not hidden from anyone.”

“In the past few years, around 2 crore houses have been built in rural areas alone. Under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana keys of 1.25 crore houses have been handed over to people. Around Rs 1.50 Lakh Crores has been given by Central Govt alone, to build these houses,” said PM Modi.

This financial assistance would include release of first installment to 5.30 lakh beneficiaries and second installment to 80 thousand beneficiaries who have already availed first installment of assistance under PMAY-G.

The clarion call of “Housing for All by 2022”, under the  programme of PMAY-G was launched on November 20, 2016 by PM Modi. And, so far  total 1.26 crore houses have already been built across the country under this scheme.

Under PMAY-G programme, each beneficiary is given 100% grant of Rs.1.20 lakh (in plain areas) and Rs. 1.30 lakh (in Hilly States/North Eastern States/Difficult areas/UT of J&K and Ladakh/IAP/LWE districts).

The beneficiaries of PMAY-G, in addition to the unit assistance, are also provided support of unskilled labour wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and assistance of Rs. 12,000 for construction of toilets through Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), MGNREGS or any other dedicated source of funding.

The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana scheme also  has provisions for convergence with other schemes of Government of India and State/UTs for providing LPG connection under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme, electricity connection, access to safe drinking water under Jal Jeevan Mission, etc.