New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated 1.75 lakh houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) in Madhya Pradesh along with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said that the scheme was meant to empower the poor.
Modi inaugurated the houses through a videoconference from Delhi and interacted with the beneficiary.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said: "Today, the entire state is cheerful and happy. The Prime Minister today fulfilled the dreams of thousands of poor people of Madhya Pradesh."
Interacting with a beneficiary, Pyarelal, the Prime Minister asked: "Did you ever think that you will get your own house? And what did you cook on the occasion of housewarming at your new house?"
Pyarelal replied that he felt assured after he saw other beneficiaries get homes from the government. He also said that he had cooked food and also ordered some sweets.
Modi then asked when he got approval for the new house under the government scheme, to which Pyarelal said that the approval was accorded in 2019 and he got it 15 days before the deadline.
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The Prime Minister also enquired if any middlemen had tried to the money from him, to which Pyarelal replied in the negative.
Modi pointed out to Pyarelal that after getting a new house, his responsibilities had increased and now he needed to take care of the education of his children.
Modi also said that this scheme was not only meant to provide pucca houses to the poor but also to make them self-confident so that they overcome small issues and sleep peacefully so as to give 100 per cent to their work.
"Our motive is to make the poor empowered and giving them the strength to grow," Modi said.
Narendra, another beneficiary from Gwalior, told Modi that his daughter had died of a snake bite when they were living in a makeshift house.
"But I got support from the government and now we have a new house. I have also bought a buffalo and do sewing for a living," Narendra said.
Modi jokingly asked the beneficiary if he planned to contest elections after the latter appreciated him for revoking Article 370 of the Constitution.
Narendra's wife also thanked the Prime Minister for schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana and extended an invite to him for lunch at her new house, which Modi accepted.
Pointing out that Narendra and his wife were joint beneficiaries, Modi said the PMAYG was also meant to empower women. (IANS)
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