Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the Panchayat & Rural Development Department to take necessary steps for allotment of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to all differently-abled persons of the state.
Government records mentioned that at present there are 130411 identified differently-abled persons in Assam.
While reviewing the implementation of PMAY in a meeting at Janata Bhawan on June 30, Sonowal asked the department to write a letter to the concerned ministry of the Union government to resolve the issue relating to admissible disability percentage for extending the benefits of central government schemes to the differently-abled persons of the state.
At present, the admissible disability percentage for availing benefits of state government schemes is 40 per cent, whereas in case of central government schemes persons with 80 per cent disability could avail the benefits. As a result, large numbers of disabled persons of the state are deprived of the benefits of the central schemes.
Chief minister Sonowal during the review meeting also asked the department to complete construction of one lakh houses under the scheme within September 30. Moreover, Sonowal also asked the department to settle all land disputes of the beneficiaries with the help of deputy commissioners before August 15.
The chief minister also emphasized on making best use of the Anganwadi centres of the state both as play house for children and as skill development centre for empowering the SHGs and women as well.
Social welfare minister Pramila Rani Brahma, minister of state for P&RD Naba Kumar Doley and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
Following the P&RD review meeting, the chief minister also took stock of the progress of implementation of Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana in the state. The departmental officers informed the chief minister that so far 16 lakh beneficiaries have been covered under the scheme against the target of 26 lakh beneficiaries.
Sonowal directed the department to cover the remaining beneficiaries applying seven different norms of the scheme in next phase. He also asked the department to ensure that no woman from socially backward or economically disadvantaged class is deprived from the benefits of the scheme.
Food & civil supplies minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury, minister of state for P&RD Naba Kumar Doley and representatives of various oil companies and other senior officials of the government were present in the meeting.
