New Delhi, Jan 15 (FN Agency) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the first instalment to 1 lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Gramin (PMAY-G). The instalment was released under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). During the event, Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the beneficiaries of PM-JANMAN. Modi launched PM-JANMAN today for the socio-economic welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). PM-JANMAN, with a budget of approximately Rs 24,000 crore, focuses on 11 critical interventions through 9 Ministries. Interacting with the beneficiaries of PM-JANMAN, the Prime Minister said that the goal of PM-JANMAN Maha Abhiyan is to benefit every member of the tribal community through government schemes. He said that the country can develop only when no one is left behind in society and the benefits of government schemes reach everyone.
Informing that the most backward tribal communities live in about 190 districts of the country, Modi highlighted the government’s approach to distributing more than 80,000 Ayushman cards within two months. The Prime Minister informed that the government has linked about 30,000 farmers of extremely backward tribal communities to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, and bank accounts of 40,000 such beneficiaries have been opened. He further added that more than 30,000 underprivileged people have been given Kisan Credit Cards, and about 11,000 have been given land leases under the Forest Rights Act. Modi said the government is putting all its efforts into ensuring that every scheme of the government reaches our most backward tribal communities as soon as possible. “I assure you this and this is Modi’s guarantee. And you know that Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfillment”, he said.
Talking about providing pucca houses to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the Prime Minister said that money has been transferred directly to the accounts of tribal beneficiaries. “They will get 2.5 lakh rupees for a pucca house which will be a source of dignified living with electricity, gas connection, pipe water and toilet”. He said that these one lakh beneficiaries are just the beginning and the government will reach each and every deserving candidate. Modi assured and asked the beneficiaries to strictly stay away from bribing anyone for these benefits. The PM informed that the government has increased the budget of schemes related to Scheduled Tribes by 5 times. “The total budget of the scholarship which was earlier available for the education of tribal children has now been increased by more than two and a half times”, he added. Modi highlighted that before 2014, MSP was fixed only for about 10 forest produce, whereas the present government has brought about 90 forest produce under the ambit of MSP. “To get higher prices for forest produce, we created Van Dhan Yojana” he said.