Modi reiterates Centre’s resolve of housing for all by 2022

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, September 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the Centre’s resolve of housing for all by 2022 when India completes 75 year of its Independence.

Speaking at a public meeting in Shahanshahpur adjoining Varanasi on the concluding day of his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency, he said ensuring development reaching the last person in the queue was his priority.

“Providing a roof to every family either in the rural or urban area is a huge responsibility. But if Modi will not take up this challenge, who would?” said the PM.

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Blaming the previous Samajwadi Party government of not being interested in building houses for the poor, Modi said that after much persuasion by the Centre it had submitted a list of 10,000 people who were to be provided housing.

“Within a short time Yogiji has registered several lakhs for the housing scheme,” said the PM who also projected the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana as an employment generation venture.

He said the number of houses to be built for the poor equalled the total number of houses in a medium-sized European nation. 

“Imagine the amount of cement, bricks, wood, steel and other building material required to build the houses. Arranging for this and building the houses will provide employment to a large number of people,” he claimed.

The doubling of the farmers’ income was another pledge that Modi took for 2022. In this context he praised CM Yogi’s Pashudhan Arogya Mela (Livestock Health Mela) which he had earlier inaugurated.

“Raising productivity of milch cattle and ensuring their health through such melas would go a long way in helping the farmer double his income through dairy farming,” he said.

Referring to the Swachch Bharat mission as yet another goal for the nation for 2022, Modi noted that the toilet he had inaugurated earlier in the village had the word “Izzat ghar” (house of honour) written on it.

“I liked this word very much. Where there is an Izzat ghar the honour of our mothers and sisters is ensured. I congratulate the state government for recognising toilets as Izzat ghar. Those concerned about their family’s honour should come forward to build an Izzat ghar,” he said. 

At the function, Modi distributed the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana certificates among beneficiaries in the presence of Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi and state BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey.