Mission of PM Modi government's welfare schemes boon for poor: Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai

New Delhi [India], December 9 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Friday described the welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government as a "boon" while highlighting the effectiveness of various schemes rolled out for the underprivileged.

Rai said that the world's largest food security scheme Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojna covered 80 crore beneficiaries.

Speaking to ANI, Rai said that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) which was implemented in April 2020 amid the COVID pandemic in the country was extended by the Centre till December 2022.

"The government has spent approximately Rs. 3.45 lakh crore so far and another Rs. 44,762 Crore will be spent till December 2022 taking the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to nearly Rs. 3.91 lakh crore," Rai said.

"This will cover nearly 80 crore beneficiaries across India and like before would be fully funded by the Government of India," he added.

Mentioning the Jan Dhan Yojana, the Minister said that as on August 2022, more than 46.25 crore beneficiaries banked under PMJDY since inception, amounting to Rs 1,73,954 crore as part of financial inclusion to support the overall economic development of marginalised sections of society.

"PMJDY accounts grow 3-fold from 14.72 crores in March 2015 to 46.25 crore as on August 10, 2022. 56 per cent Jan-Dhan account holders are women and 67 per cent Jan Dhan accounts in rural and semi-urban areas" he said.

He said that the Modi government has focused on the health of poor people across the country and their welfare.

"Har Ghar Swasthya (Ayushman Yojana)- The laboratory network is strengthened progressively in the last two years both in terms of testing infrastructure as well as diagnostics," Rai said.

"As of January 1 2022, a total of 1,364 government laboratories and 1,753 private laboratories are conducting COVID-19 testing. At present, India is testing around 11-12 lakh samples a day" MoS Home said.

The Minister said that over 19 crore health cards have been issued and close to 4 crore hospital admissions have been covered worth Rs 45, 294 crores under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB- PMJAY).

"Affordable medicines are now available from a network of over 8,800 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across India. Sales of Jan Aushadhi Kendras have increased from Rs 7.29 crore in 2014-15 to over Rs 890 crore in 2021-22 (till September 15). This has led to savings of over Rs. 17,000 since 2019-20. In 2021-22 alone, saving of over Rs 5,300 crore have been made possible for the poor through Jan Aushadhi Kendras." he added.

Rai informed that over 3.7 crore homes have been sanctioned under the two segments of PMAY so far.

"Under PM SVANidhi Yojana, 33.37 lakh loans amounting to Rs 3,621 crores have been disbursed across the country till July 12, 2022. In the same period as interest subsidynd cash back respectively," Rai said.

Rai said that over 9,000 street vendors have been on-boarded on the e-commerce platforms.

"Under the administration of PM Modi, countrywide immunisation effort is being made. India has delivered over 2 billion doses of the COVID vaccine as part of what is considered the biggest immunisation campaign in the world." Rai said.

He said that the government has given an increase in MNREGA wage to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182 to benefit 13.62 crore families.

MoS Home further called the Jal Jeevan Mission a priority for the Modi government and said that nearly 50 per cent of rural households have access to tap water connections within premises now.

"Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have over 90 per cent coverage and is progressing fast towards becoming 'Har Ghar Jal' States," he added.

He said that as reported by the States/UTs on the online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of SBM (G), all the villages have declared themselves Open Defecation Free (ODF) as on October 2, 2019.

"Har Ghar Bijli (Saubhagya Yojana)- over 2.6 crore households were electrified under the SAUBHAGYA Yojana covering over 99.9 per cent of the households across the country," he said.

"Har Ghar Gas Cylinder with Ujjwala Yojana- as on July 2022, per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries has increased from 3.01 (FY 2019-20) to 3.66 cr (FY 2021-22). An announcement of a subsidy of 200/- per 14.2 Kg refill upto 12 refills/year for PMUY beneficiaries for the year 2022-2023 was made. So far, under the PMUY, over 9.5 crore gas connections have been provided to households, freeing women from the clutches of toxic smoke and hours spent looking for firewood," he added.

Lauding the work of the BJP governments in the states, Rai said that wherever there are the party's governments, Centre's all welfare schemes are fully implemented on the ground and the poor are benefited.

"But where there is a non-BJP government, some obstruction is there to implement the welfare scheme for the poor," he said.

"The schemes of the Centre in Bihar are not being implemented properly, the Bihar government has returned 18000 crores for every household water tap scheme but The Modi government is determined to uplift the poor and eliminate every obstacle that comes in it" the Minister added. (ANI)