PM Modi slams SP over non-implementation of Centre's housing scheme in UP during its tenure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lashed out at previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh over the non-implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) in the state and alleged that the Akhilesh Yadav government did not provide a list of beneficiaries under the scheme despite several requests from the Central government.

"During the previous government, in 2016, when we launched the scheme, government and my office (PMO) wrote several letters asking it to send names of beneficiaries. We were ready to send money. But they ignored all requests. Poor have not forgotten the behaviour of that government. Due to pro-activeness of Yogi Government, the pace of scheme has changed," PM Modi said.

"We have seen what the condition was during the regime of previous governments especially in Uttar Pradesh. Poor do not believe that the government can help them in the construction of their house. Everybody knows the housing schemes of the previous government and the quality of those houses. It was due to wrong policies, our poor used to suffer," he added.

His remarks came after releasing financial assistance of around Rs 2,691 crores to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) via video conferencing.

The BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 ousting the Akhilesh Yadav government.

The Prime Minister said that 22 lakh houses are to be built in Uttar Pradesh under the scheme and the approval has been given 21.5 lakh houses.

"This scheme has begun to transform villages. This has made even the poorest believe that they will have their house one day. UP is among those States where houses are constructed quickly for poor in rural areas," he said.

"Around 5 lakh families received the first instalment to construct their home. Today 80,000 families got the second instalment," he said.

PM Modi said that the country has set a target of providing house to the poor when India will complete 75th year of achieving independence.

( With inputs from ANI )