New Delhi: The Centre has approved 2.89 lakh additional rural houses for Rajasthan under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), with a project outlay of ₹3,473 crore, expanding housing support for eligible rural families in the state.
Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan handed over the approval letter for 2,89,355 houses to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma during a state-level PMAY-G programme in Baran on August 17.
The Centre also approved ₹340.59 crore for agricultural development initiatives and the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) in Rajasthan. Chouhan said the amount had been released for agricultural development in the state.
A survey covering 29,13,749 potential beneficiaries under PMAY-G has also been completed in Rajasthan. Chouhan said houses would be sanctioned to eligible beneficiaries after physical verification. He directed officials to display beneficiary lists at district and panchayat levels and provide a mechanism for filing objections so that eligible families are not wrongly excluded.
On PMAY-G eligibility, Chouhan said families owning a two-wheeler would also be considered eligible for housing assistance. He also referred to the revised income criterion under which households where no member earns more than ₹15,000 per month can qualify, subject to other eligibility conditions.
The minister also said small farmers within the prescribed limits for irrigated and unirrigated agricultural land would remain eligible for housing assistance. The eligibility would continue to be determined under the applicable PMAY-G exclusion criteria.
Chouhan said 16 lakh women in Rajasthan have so far become Lakhpati Didis and announced that the target for the state would be doubled to 32 lakh. He added that ₹13,400 crore has been disbursed to women through various banks to support entrepreneurial activities.
On agricultural inputs, Chouhan said farmers would continue to receive a bag of urea for ₹266 despite its cost being around ₹3,000. He also warned of action against black marketing of fertilisers and said stronger legislation dealing with fake pesticides and substandard seeds would be introduced in the next session of Parliament.
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