Bihar News : The Bihar government is not limiting its support for poor families to providing permanent houses. It is also providing financial assistance for the repair, maintenance and painting of old homes. Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar said on Thursday that Bihar is among the states where poor families receive government assistance not only for housing but also for maintaining their homes.
A programme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was organised by the Rural Development Department at Bapu Sabhagar near Gandhi Maidan in Patna. During the programme, keys were handed over to beneficiaries of 2.35 lakh completed houses, while approval letters were distributed among newly selected beneficiaries.
49.17 Lakh Applications Received in Bihar
Shravan Kumar said that Bihar had received a total of 49,17,344 applications under PM Awas Yojana-Gramin from 2016-17 onwards. Of these, 49,09,829 houses have been approved, while construction of 42,18,025 houses, or 85.77%, has been completed.
He said the Central Government has approved 11,18,937 new houses for Bihar.
₹50,000 Assistance for Repair and Painting
The minister said the state government has also made arrangements for poor families who have been left out of PM Awas Yojana and whose houses built before January 1, 1996, have been damaged.
In addition, poor families who received houses before April 2010 will get ₹50,000 from the state government for repair and painting. The government’s housing support, therefore, is not limited to constructing new houses but also includes keeping older homes fit for living.
Land Assistance for Landless Beneficiaries
The minister said landless beneficiaries included in the PM Awas Yojana list will be provided five decimals of land if government land is available.
If government land is not available, the state government will provide assistance of up to ₹1 lakh to purchase land. The minister described this as Bihar’s first such initiative in the country.
Toilets, Water and Free Electricity Along With Housing
The government is also linking housing beneficiaries with other basic facilities.
Beneficiaries will receive:
- ₹12,000 assistance for toilet construction
- Tap water connection
- Electricity connection
- Up to 125 units of free electricity
Shravan Kumar said the objective is to ensure that poor families receive not just a house but also the basic facilities required for living.
PM Awas Scheme Eligibility to Be Expanded
Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the chief guest at the programme, said people with a monthly income of up to ₹15,000 will now also be eligible for the PM Awas Yojana.
He said the decision would also help women associated with the Lakhpati Didi initiative fulfil their dream of owning a house.
Chouhan also said the Central Government has decided to bring farmers owning up to five acres of irrigated land and 2.5 acres of unirrigated land, as well as motorcycle owners, within the scope of the PM Awas Yojana.
C-Mart to Be Set Up in Every District
Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that C-Mart centres will be established in every district of Bihar to provide better market access to products made by artisans and, in particular, Jeevika groups.
He said the objective is to provide markets for local products and increase income opportunities at the rural level.
The Union minister said the government is committed to ensuring that no woman in Bihar remains poor.
Union Minister Praises Sahayog Portal
The Union minister also praised the Sahayog Portal launched by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. He described it as an effective model for public service and said other states should also follow it.
Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Rural Works Minister Sunil Kumar, Cooperation Minister Ram Kripal Yadav and Social Welfare Minister Shweta Gupta were among those present at the programme, along with senior officials of the Rural Development Department.
