New Delhi: The state of West Bengal is on the defaulters’ list for not providing the Centre with information about the number of houses built for the poor under the Union government’s scheme. This was stated by Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh.
He also said that the Congress government had built around 11 lakh houses annually while the BJP-led NDA government was building around 35 lakh houses in the same span.
He said the central government planned to build around 4.03 crore houses for the poor, but it was revised to 2.95 crores after the feedback it received from the states.
The Union Minister and firebrand BJP leader was speaking to the media on the second day of “samajik nyay pakhwada” (fortnight dedicated to social justice) started by the party to mark the BJP’s 42nd foundation beginning April 6.
Quizzed about the best and worst-performing states in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Singh said that Uttar Pradesh performed well, and data from West Bengal is awaited.
He took a potshot at the Mamata regime in Kolkata, saying it seems that the state government wants to work outside the federal structure and rename all Central schemes.
From April 7, the party is highlighting a government scheme and its benefits every day. On April 8, it highlighted Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Government is taking important steps to provide pucca houses to every poor in the country.
Modi shared in his tweet that more than three crore houses have been built under the PM Awas Yojana.
Prime Minister Modi also informed that all houses are equipped with basic necessities and have become the symbol of women’s empowerment.
“Construction of three crore houses have been possible only with the public participation,” he said.
Union RD Minister Giriraj Singh also said that the BJP government built more houses for the poor in eight years than Congress and others in the past 60 years.
Addressing a press conference at party headquarters, Singh further said, “During opposition rule in 60 years, 3.26 crore houses were built under the Indira Awas Yojana. But under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana under NDA-2, 2.52 crore houses were built in the last eight years in rural areas and around 58 lakh in urban areas.”
While every government spoke about providing “roti, kapda aur makan” to the poor, it is the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led dispensation which is fulfilling the promise, the BJP leaders say.
