Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government was bound to build a system for future generations where life was based on 5 Es – ease of living, education, employment, economy and entertainment.
He was speaking at the ‘Transforming Urban Landscape’ event that marked the third anniversary of three key government initiatives related to urban development, including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission, here.
Recalling former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s work, Modi said “Atalji had made Lucknow the laboratory of urban rejuvenation.”
He said successive governments allowed unplanned and uncontrolled development of cities making urban India a ‘concrete jungle. “By 2022, my government will ensure that everyone has a house,” Modi said, adding: “To meet this target, the government has approved 54 lakh houses for people in cities and provided more than one crore houses to the poor in villages.”
He said the housing scheme was not merely a project to provide houses to the poor but a means of women empowerment since houses under the scheme are registered in the name of a woman member of the family or jointly.
The PM said chief minister Yogi Adityanath had informed him that 46 beneficiaries, who have now progressed in life, had given up the houses that the government had given them, so that they could be made available to the needy.
{{/usCountry}}The PM said chief minister Yogi Adityanath had informed him that 46 beneficiaries, who have now progressed in life, had given up the houses that the government had given them, so that they could be made available to the needy.
{{/usCountry}}Citing the example of people who gave up their LPG subsidy and concessional rail fare, the PM said people were always willing to contribute to the nation’s development provided the government reposed faith in them.
Before addressing the gathering, the PM visited an exhibition on ‘Flagship Missions of Urban Development’ and interacted with 35 women beneficiaries of PMAY (U) — one from each State/UT. Accompanying the PM were Union home minister Rajnath Singh, governor Ram Naik, chief minister Yogi Adityanath among others.
Modi also received feedback from PMAY beneficiaries through live screening from different cities of Uttar Pradesh and laid the foundation stone for various projects under the flagship missions, in UP.
Modi also launched a scathing attack on former CM and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav while speaking at an event.
“I remember how I had to write letters and talk personally to the earlier government, requesting them to avail the Central government’s fund to provide houses to the poor,” he said.
“They were too busy in decorating their own bungalows to think of giving houses to the poor,” Modi said in an obvious reference to the bungalow controversy in the state.