Increase Centre's share in PMAY to 80 pc: MP minister

The Madhya Pradesh government has asked the Centre to increase its contribution in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a mass housing scheme for the poor, to 80 per cent from the current 60 per cent, Minister Kamleshwar Patel said on Tuesday.

The MP minister for panchayat and rural development also said the Centre should allow elected representatives of local bodies to pick beneficiaries of the PMAY scheme.

"The Centre provides 60 per cent while a state's share is 40 per cent in PMAY. The Centre's share should be increased to 80 per cent like it is the case with Indira Awas Yojana," Patel told reporters.

He said despite the state pitching in with 40 per cent, the Centre takes all the credit for the scheme.

"Elected local bodies' representatives know better which poor people are in need of a house, but the PMAY is designed in such a manner that they have no role to play. They should be given some power so that benefits can reach the poor," Patel said.

The minister also said the government was building 'gaushala' (cow shelters) in MP as part of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

"We had set a target of developing 1,000 cow shelters in 2019-20. Of these, 937 have been approved. Of approved gaushalas, 200 have been completed. Another 219 are going to be completed within the next fortnight. Work on remaining cow shelters will be completed by February," he said.

These shelters include sheds, godown, compost unit, water tanks and room for watchman etc, he said.

Patel said the Centre had not yet released Rs 350 crore under MNREGA.

"The Centre's attitude has been biased towards Congress-ruled states. On the basis of the Central team's assessment, the MP government had asked for Rs 7000 crore for crop damage due to heavy rains, but the Centre has given only Rs 1,000 crore," Patel claimed.