The Punjab Government would construct 10,000 new houses under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) in the Financial Year 2020-21 in the rural areas of Punjab, for which the work has already been started in full swing. Briefing about the details of the scheme, Mr. Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rural Development & Panchayat Minister, Punjab said that said that to cover more and more beneficiaries under the Scheme the Punjab Government has taken up the matter with the Government of India.The Minister said that to improve the definition of Kutcha House in favour of Punjab matter has been discussed with the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. On the request of State of Punjab, a team of experts from Government of India is planning to visit the border Districts of Punjab to understand the roofing condition of the houses in the villages to relax the guidelines to cover the kutcha house for the State of Punjab.Mr. Bajwa further said that under this scheme, a sum of rupees 1,20,000 is given in three installments to eligible beneficiaries for construction of new house under PMAY-G. In addition to this, MGNREGA labour of 90 Mandays worth Rs. 21,690/- is also provided.
The beneficiary is also provided Rs. 12,000/- under MGNREGA for construction of a toilet in the house. Thus each eligible family is provided a total benefit of Rs. 1,53,690/- for construction of their house.He also told that not only a house is provided to the poor family, but, all the basic amenities like safe drinking water from National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) Scheme, Cooking Gas Cylinder from Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Electricity Connection from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGKY) is provided to the eligible households. Moreover, the instructions are being issued from the Department to provide benefits of Soak Pit, Vermi Compost Pit and Cattle shed for 4 or 6 animals, from MGNREGA to all beneficiaries falling under PMAY-G.Mrs. Seema Jain, Financial Commissioner, Rural Development & Panchayats said that in order to bring in transparency in the implementation of this Scheme, Geo Tagged Photographs of the houses are uploaded through Mobile Application 'AwaasAap'. This is done at three stages i.e. Ground Level, Lintel Level and at Completion Level.