Patna, March 15 (FN Representative) Bihar Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar on Tuesday told the Assembly that the Centre has fixed the target of 11.50 lakh dwelling units under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for the state and allocated funds accordingly. The allocation and target of dwelling units fixed under PMAY for Bihar were the highest for any state in the country. The Minister, amid acrimonious scenes created by the opposition over alleged improper tone and tenor of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar towards Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, said a number of employment-orientated schemes were being implemented in Bihar. It was the strength of double engine government that led to the highest allocation to Bihar under PMAY, he pointed out, in obvious reference to the NDA governments in Bihar and at the Centre. Shrawan Kumar said that 36,97000 families were given jobs under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) Scheme.
He said that MNREGA was a demand-driven scheme and jobs were given to willing persons on demand. Kumar said that 14,25,97,218 Man Days were created under MNREGA in Bihar. A total of 10,34,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Jeevika Didis were created while 1.27 Crore families were associated with Jeevika Self Help Groups, he added. The Minister said that Jeevika Didis were also engaged in preparing meals for Sadar and Sub Divisional Hospitals besides school students. With their services, patients and their attendants and school students were getting quality foods, he added. The opposition continued to create noisy scene during the reply of the Minister and staged a walkout from the House. Later, the budgetary demand of Rural Development department of Rs15456.46 Crores for the financial year 2022-23 was passed by voice vote in the House.