Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam has finished 22 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin scheme. Now, the state wants more. Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Atul Bora confirmed on July 13 that officials plan to wrap up another two lakh homes within 100 days. The state expects additional central allocations to meet this aggressive target.
Progress is moving fast. The government is backing its housing push with a major land reform initiative. During the seventh day of the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 14, Bora announced that 3.5 lakh tea garden workers will receive formal land ownership rights, or pattas. Many of these workers have occupied tea estate land for generations without legal documents.
"We have already completed 22 lakh PMAY-Gramin houses till today, and we plan to complete another two lakh within 100 days," Bora said. The minister noted that the Centre agreed to grant more housing units specifically because the state government committed to providing land deeds to these workers.
Assam is also tackling a labor shortage. The state launched the Lakhimi Mistri scheme to train women in masonry. So far, 5,000 women finished the program, and 5,000 more are starting training soon. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered uniforms for these workers to recognize their labor. These new houses aim to provide long-term social security for the tea community.
Comments