Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s maiden budget speech put “Antodaya” at the core of every step that the BJP-led government at the centre is taking.

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Gas connection and electricity for all 1.95 crore rural homes by 2022 were two of her biggest announcements.

With Gaon, Gareeb, Kisan in focus, FM put Ujjwala Yojana as one policy that changed lives in rural India for good. She announced that by 2022 every single rural family, except those who are unwilling to take connection, will have electricity and clean cooking facility. She, in fact, repeated her reference to the point that this will be ‘except those who are unwilling,’ putting the opposition led states at the receiving end.

The Economic Survey 2018-19 released on Thursday highlighted that Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has provided access to around 7 crore households under the scheme.

FM also announced a push to the rural housing sector. Sitharam proposed that Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna Phase 2 will have 1.95 crore houses provided to the eligible beneficiaries. These houses will be provided with toilet, electricity and gas connection. She also highlighted that the DBT platform and technology initiatives have reduced the average number of days taken to complete construction of houses under PMAY to 114 days from 314 days in 2015-16.

Under PMAY (Urban), over 81 lakh houses with an investment of about Rs 4.83 lakh crore had been sanctioned. Of these, construction has started in about 47 lakh houses. Over 26 lakh houses had been completed of which 24 lakh had been delivered to beneficiaries.

1.54 crore houses were completed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) last year. According to the Economic Survey, PMAY exceeded its target of 1 crore pucca houses with basic amenities by 50 percent as of March 31, 2019.

To connect rural India to its markets, FM also announced upgradation of 1.25 lakh kilometres of roads in phase 3 of PM Gram Sadak Yojna. This will be done with an estimated budget expenditure of Rs 80,250 crore.

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First Published:Jul 5, 2019 2:18 PM IST