The Gwalior-Chambal division of Madhya Pradesh has bagged the first four positions in achieving the target for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna (PMAY) – Gramin. A list released by the Union Rural Development Ministry said Datia topped while the second, third and fourth places have been secured by Gwalior, Bhind and Morena districts respectively.

Earlier, the PM Crop Insurance Scheme was also implemented first by Datia district. It had fixed a target of providing 4331 pucca houses to beneficiaries in rural areas and the district has succeeded in building 3,693 pucca houses for the needy. Datia secured first place by achieving 90.54 per cent of the targeted figure.

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Gwalior(89.36%), Bhind (81.22%) and Morena (81.13%) districts of the division have secured second, third and fourth positions by achieving 4525, 3,175 and 7,655 of the targeted figures of 5,163, 4,010 and 11,097 respectively.

“I never thought that we will have a pucca house. It could be possible with the efforts of PM Narendra Modi by introducing the ‘Pradhan Mantri AwasYojna,” said a labourer, Ahivaran Jatav, who received a free pucca house in the Scheduled Caste area in Unnao village of Datia district.

In June 2015, Modi introduced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna – Gramin’ to achieve housing for all by 2022. The Union Rural Development Ministry and state government jointly provided the construction cost of the pucca houses with water facility, sanitation and round-the-clock electricity supply.

“The credit goes to our team of the district under guidance of the collector. Before implementing this scheme, we first drew up a blueprint as per circumstances and geographical situations of rural areas of district. We gave some flexibility to field staff in design and layout”, Sandip Makin, CEO zila panchayat of Datia, told The Statesman.

Madhya Pradesh Minister for Public Relations and Water Resources Narottam Mishra represents the Datia constituency in the assembly.

“We are regularly monitoring construction of houses and a team has been formed specially for this scheme. This district also runs awareness programmes for the beneficiaries of the scheme”, said Rahul Jain, collector of Gwalior.

Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is a member of parliament from Gwalior Lok Sabha constituency. All four districts which secured first four ranks are situated in Gwalior-Chambal region.

“Modi government wants to construct pucca houses for every homeless citizen of the nation by 2022, we want to extend congratulations to the people of Gwalior region as well as the entire country who have come forward to adopt PMAY,” said Tomar.