Key Points

Speaking to IANS, Dashrath Yadav said, "I have been living in kutcha house with my family for the past 25-30 years. I supported my family by driving a school bus, but never believed I would one day live with my family in a pucca house. This dream was fulfilled by the successful Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi."

Dashrath further said that he learned about PMAY through the efforts of the regional MLA and councillor. With their assistance, he was able to access the benefits of the scheme, build his own pucca house, and now enjoys a better life with his family.

"I want to thank Prime Minister Modi for this scheme," he added.

Dashrath's wife, Sonu Bai Yadav, also expressed her gratitude. She recalled the hardships they faced while living in a kutcha house with their daughter.

"Life was full of difficulties," she said.

"However, ever since Prime Minister Modi launched this scheme for the poor and middle class, crores of families like ours have benefited. Today, I am extremely happy to live with my family in our own pucca house. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for making this possible."

Launched on June 25, 2015, PMAY is a flagship scheme of the Modi government aimed at providing affordable housing for all. The scheme set a target to construct 1.12 crore houses for eligible families in urban areas.

Beyond constructing homes, PMAY also focuses on empowerment, as many beneficiaries include women, single mothers, widows, and individuals from marginalised communities. Over 2.67 lakh houses have been approved specifically for women, and 90 houses have been allotted to transgender individuals.

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) approved the construction of an additional 3.53 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0). This expansion spans 10 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

- IANS