MoS for Railways Highlights Key Achievements Under MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana, and PM Gram Sadak Yojana

Shri Bittu described MGNREGA as a cornerstone of rural upliftment, offering both employment and financial security.

The government is driving significant transformation in rural India through job creation, housing, and connectivity, according to Minister of State for Railways, Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu, during an interaction with journalists at the Parliament. He outlined the financial allocations and impact of major rural development programs, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

MGNREGA: A Decade of Empowering Rural India

Shri Bittu described MGNREGA as a cornerstone of rural upliftment, offering both employment and financial security. He highlighted its evolution, noting a significant increase in allocations over the years.

• Budget Increase: From ₹11,300 crore in 2006-07 to ₹86,000 crore in the latest budget.
• Cumulative Allocation: ₹9,85,622 crore (nearly ₹10 lakh crore) allocated since the program’s inception.
• 2024 Budget Allocation: ₹46,907 crore distributed to states.

He further explained that advancements in technology and simplified procedures have revolutionized the scheme. For instance, job card registration, once requiring completion of 22 registries, has been streamlined to ensure faster and more efficient enrollment.

PM Awas Yojana: Accelerating Rural Housing

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has been a resounding success, providing rural housing at an unprecedented scale.

• Housing Milestone: Over 3 crore houses built in the last decade, averaging 10,000 houses per day.
• Employment and Training: The scheme has trained 3 lakh individuals in construction and allied skills, furthering economic empowerment.
• Faster Completion: Construction time has been reduced from 314 days to just 114 days, reflecting efficiency gains under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.

Shri Bittu praised PMAY for addressing both housing and employment, ensuring holistic rural development.

PM Gram Sadak Yojana: Building Connectivity and Progress

Connectivity has been a game-changer for rural communities under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Shri Bittu shared the following achievements:

• Total Roads Sanctioned: 8,34,457 km.
• Constructed Roads: 7,69,178 km completed to date.
• Recent Progress: Between June 9, 2024, and December 2, 2024, an additional 315 km of rural roads were constructed.

Special focus has been given to the North-East and Naxal-affected areas, connecting even the smallest of villages. For Naxal-affected areas, roads are constructed for villages with populations of 100 or more, while in non-Naxal-affected regions, the threshold is 250 residents.

Empowering the North-East

Shri Bittu emphasized the government’s commitment to the development of the North-East under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Roads in remote and conflict-affected areas are opening up new opportunities, fostering trade, education, and healthcare access for rural communities.

The Broader Vision of Rural Development

Shri Bittu reiterated the government's dedication to inclusive rural development through these schemes, aligning with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India). The substantial budgets allocated for these programs underline their importance in achieving economic and social transformation. He also hinted at discussions on other flagship schemes in the near future.

Through strategic interventions in jobs, housing, and connectivity, the government is charting a new path for self-reliant and prosperous rural India.