J-K: PMAY brings smile on faces of homeless in Kupwara district of North Kashmir

Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 6 (ANI): The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin is working in full swing towards fulfilling the long-awaited dreams of several poor and vulnerable families having their own pucca house.
In the Kupwara district of North Kashmir, scores of poor and vulnerable ST families used to live in kutcha houses, one-roomed temporary shacks or dark and muddy houses before the implementation of this scheme, where they had to face several difficulties.
But, the scheme of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana PMAY (G), is helping in fulfilling the dreams of many such families.
The Assistant Commisioner of Development, Kupwawa, Hilal Ahmad Mir told ANI that a total of Rs 39 crores have been given to the beneficiaries under this scheme.
"Under the scheme, a total of 8000 people were identified. Out of that, we were allocated 3426 houses for the previous financial year. We have paid the first instalments to all 3426 houses, second to around 3000 and third to around 2300. Total allocations under the first instalment have been Rs 17 crore, Rs 15 crore in the second instalment and around Rs 7 crore in the third instalment. We will try to complete the target this year only, along with the next allocations that will come to us," he said.
The beneficiaries of the scheme have also hailed the efforts of the Centre and J-K administration for making efforts to take PMAY(G) to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable families in the Kupwara district.
A beneficiary named Lal Din Khatana told ANI, "We have received around 1.75 lakhs under the scheme. In the next 5-6 days, we will enter our new house. We are very thankful for the government".
Another beneficiary Feroz Ahmad said, "I am very grateful to the government. We used to stay in a house of mud, there was no proper roof and we had to face a lot of problems during rain and adverse weather. We are very thankful to Governor and PM Modi for sanctioning us Rs 1.50 lakh, by using which we have been able to build a proper house".
"We faced many problems while we lived in Kutcha houses. But, now the government has helped us in building pucca houses. There is some loan on us, but we will repay it, "a beneficiary Shah Mohammad said.
Jalal Ud Din, another beneficiary of the scheme also expressed his thankfulness to the government for making them able to build pucca houses for living.
Prime Minister's Awas Yojna (Gramin) focuses on the deprived and the poorest of the poor households, including widow-headed families, STs and handicapped, who live in kutcha houses and the homeless.
It not only provides a home to the poor but also generates employment for them with up to 96 days of work under MGNREGA. (ANI)