Govt should do survey again to identify needy families for PM Awas Yojana: Ashokrao S Chavan

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The government should do a survey again to identify needy beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana, as several poor people have been left out, said BJP Member Ashokrao S Chavan in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Chavan lauded the Union Budget announcement to provide benefits to an additional three crore families under the PM Awas Yojana but said that the waitlist time for this popular scheme is long.

Moreover, beneficiaries are identified based on a survey done in 2017 and several needy people have been left out, he noted.

"I would request from the Centre to do the survey again so that the needy families which are left aside and facing difficulty in getting such schemes" are added, Chavan said while participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha.

He also lauded the government initiative to hand over property cards under SVAMITVA Scheme, and the spending on the infrastructure is almost five time more than previous governments.

From infrastructure to Direct Benefit Transfer to social justice scheme, defence and space programme, the government has decided to work at three times the speed of previous administrations to eliminate stagnancy, the member noted.

He also mentioned "reform, perform and transform" for all sectors. On the Udan scheme, Chavan said over 80 airports have been made operational. He also mentioned that big operators are making losses under the Udan scheme and discouraging flights from small places. This scheme is very successful and will be more effective with some changes.

He also spoke about the Gaganyaan Mission and said our astronauts would fulfil the dreams of the nation.

Congress member Shaktisinh Gohil said the President's speech lacked direction and vision.

He also raised concerns about the challenges faced by lab-grown diamonds in the diamond polishing business in Surat and textile merchants.

There is no mention of their problems in the budget, he added.

Gohil also said that the list of victims -- who died in a recent stampede at Kumbh -- should be released by the government.

CPI MP AA Rahim raised the issue of unemployment and skyrocketing prices.

Citing the economic survey report, he said the country's growth rate has been constantly declining.

"The president's address is just a script filled with empty promises as it does not mention unemployment, price hike and growing inequality in the country," he said.

He further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to Kumbh in Allahabad on the day of the Delhi election but not going to Manipur.

"There is no count of death at Kumbh Mela, and there is no count of death at Manipur also," he added. Sandosh Kumar P of CPI also said there was no mention of word Manipur in the speech. It was delivering a speech on behalf of the heartless government.

V Sivadasan of CPI and Rwngwra Narzary UPP (L) also participated in the debate. PTI KRH KRH BAL BAL

Source: PTI