Chhattisgarh: 15k homes approved under PMAY for surrendered Naxalites, Maoist violence-affected

Raipur, Nov 29 (PTI) The Union government has approved the construction of 15,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY- Rural) for surrendered Naxalites and families affected by Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said on Friday.

The surrendered Naxalites and families affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) will get these houses as part of the state's rehabilitation policy, Sai added.

"The initiative is a big step towards bringing them into the mainstream. These are not just houses but a symbol of respect and security for such families. Our government will implement this scheme with complete transparency and promptness," a statement quoted Sai as saying.

Sai said the Chhattisgarh government is committed to providing a better life to families affected by Maoist violence as well as surrendered Naxalites, adding the move will be helpful in achieving goals of social harmony and development.

Under this initiative, the superintendent of police will provide the list of surrendered Naxalites and families affected by Naxal-violence to the chief executive officer (CEO) of the zila panchayat for verification, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said.

"After verification, land will be marked for the beneficiaries through the collector. On this basis, the process of construction of houses will begin as per the guidelines of PMAY," Sharma said.

The approval for these 15,000 houses came after Sharma recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, a state government release said.

It said the scheme will especially cater to those families whose names were not included in the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 and Awas Plus 2018.

The Central government has given permission to upload these names on the Awas Plus portal by December 6 this year, the release said. PTI TKP BNM