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'Villages at the heart of Aatmanirbhar Bharat': PM Modi launches distribution of e-property cards under 'SWAMITVA'
"The SWAMITVA scheme will help people across the country as corruption has reduced significantly in the villages because of the scheme," PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the 'SWAMITVA scheme' aimed at distribution of e-property cards. PM Modi launched the scheme through video conferencing saying that as the country faces the challenge of the second wave of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the government is focussed on the welfare of people.
"The SWAMITVA scheme will help people across the country as corruption has reduced significantly in the villages because of the scheme," PM Modi said.
"We have to work together to fight this pandemic and ensure that more and more people get vaccinated as government expands the vaccination drive from May 1. We've to ensure that guidelines issued from time to time are followed in villages. We have the security cover of vaccines this time. So, we've to ensure that everyone in villages gets both the doses of vaccine," PM Modi added.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), as many as 4.09 lakh property owners were given e-property cards, marking the roll out of the SVAMITVA scheme for implementation across the country.
Prime Minister also talked about the Centre's scheme to provide 5 kilogram of free food grains which was announced on Friday under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
“Under this special scheme (PMGKAY), around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries covered under both categories of NFSA, namely Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Householders (PHH), will be provided with an additional quota of free-of-cost foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) at a scale of 5 Kg per person per month, over and above their regular monthly entitlements under NFSA. Government of India will bear all expenditure of over ₹26,000 Crore on account of food subsidy and Central assistance to states/UTs on account of intrastate transportation etc,” a government statement said on Friday.
Read more: On Covishield price row, Centre says it will procure vaccines at ₹150 per dose
The launch of the scheme comes as the country observes National Panchayati Raj Day which is observed on April 24 every year. The day, which is celebrated since 2010, commemorates the passing of the Constitution Act (73rd Amendment) which was passed in 1992 and came into effect on April 24,1993.
PM Modi said that the day is crucial as it celebrates the importance of panchayats in country. "Panchayats and villages are the most important units of our strong democracy. Villages are part of India's progress and are the most important part of India's self-reliance goal (atmanirbhar bharat)," PM Modi said.
