Deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and additional chief secretary (ACS) rural development and panchayati raj department Rajeshwar Singh have written to Union rural development minister Narendra Singh Tomar urging him to release funds amounting to Rs 1,310 crore, which is due since December, for the second installment to build 3,64,000 houses in the state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G) this financial year.
The state has also urged the Centre to release the first installment for the construction of additional target of 86,816 houses, amounting to Rs 312 crore, to be built in 2019-20 by the rural department department. The total amount sought by the state government is Rs 1,622 crore.
The Centre had given a revised target of 86,816 houses to be constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) in 2019-20 in the state, apart from already sanctioned 3.64 lakh houses for this financial year. Singh had earlier directed all the district collectors to issue sanction for these houses in 7 days.
“The second installment is given after 60% utilisation of funds released for the first installment. The claim for the second installment was made in December,” said the official.
According to the official, of the total target of 3.64 lakh houses, construction of 75,000 houses have already been completed. The state has to complete building the remaining 2.89 lakh houses apart from the additional target of 86,816 houses by March 31, 2020.
Earlier, the Centre had approved a labour budget of 30 crore persondays under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the financial year 2020-21 in the state.
