Latest news with #PradhanMantriAwasYojana
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Quota for minorities in housing: Siddaramaiah turns tables on BJP, points to NDA's policy for minorities
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday turned the tables on the Opposition BJP saying the increase in the quota for minorities in housing schemes in Karnataka has been in deference to a guideline issued by the NDA regime at the Centre and the same has been in force for years. If this was unconstitutional or appeasement , why did the Union Government ask all states to follow it? Why is it being implemented under Central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?, the CM asked in a media statement. The quota was applicable to minorities including Christians, Jains, and Muslims. "This is based on the Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities (2019), which clearly directs all Central and State implementing agencies to earmark 15% of physical and financial targets for minorities wherever possible." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo "Our decision does not grant blanket enhancement of quota across the state. It only addresses a specific implementation challenge. In many panchayats where the minority population is less than 10%, the mandated 10% earmarking could not be utilised. To ensure optimal use of the allocated targets and avoid lapses, we have allowed the gap from such panchayats to be reallocated to those with a higher minority population, subject to a cap of 15%. This is an administrative adjustment within the unreserved category and does not affect SC, ST, or OBC reservations in any manner. The decision is legally sound and has been cleared by the Law Department after thorough review," Siddaramaiah said in response to criticisms from the BJP. The BJP's reaction, he said, was both hypocritical and politically motivated. The same party that implements the 15% target at the national level is now accusing Karnataka of appeasement for merely applying the same principle to its state schemes. "If the BJP has any objection, they must first explain why their own government continues to operate under the same guidelines and why it expects other states to do the same. This selective outrage is nothing but an attempt to stoke communal sentiments and derail efforts meant to uplift the poorest and most marginalised families in the state." Live Events Over 34,000 additional minority families, most of them landless and in need of housing, will benefit from this decision in the current year alone. Where no minority applicants are found in a panchayat, the unutilised share will be reallocated to where there is higher need, ensuring that not a single house remains unbuilt due to technical rigidities. This approach ensures equity, efficiency, and full utilisation of resources, while remaining fully compliant with constitutional provisions, the statement said. "We urge BJP leaders to rise above narrow political calculations and support measures that truly uplift the poor, instead of trying to block their path with misinformation and communal rhetoric," Siddaramaiah said. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Friday maintained that the 5% increase in the quota of minorities in the housing schemes would not eat into the share of other communities, lashing out at the BJP for threatening to launch an agitation demanding the reversal of the Cabinet decision. Housing Minister BZ Zamir Ahmed Khan has only transferred the quota of minorities from rural areas to urban areas as the population of minorities is low in rural areas. No quota is being snatched from anyone to give them to minorities, he told the media a day after the government's decision triggered sharp reactions from the Opposition BJP. The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to increase the minority quota in the government's housing schemes by 5 percentage points, weeks after passing a bill to create a 4% Muslim quota in government's civil contracts. The government currently has a quota of 10%, which will now go up to 15%. Shivakumar said as per the Justice Sachar Committee report, minorities were given quotas in rural areas also. But it was not being used as the population of minorities was low in rural areas. As much as 90% of SC/STs have been given homes. The government cannot give funds unless they lay the foundation stone for their house, he added. The government cannot incur losses by keeping flats vacant, but the Opposition parties were politicising it, he said. Housing Minister Khan said the Centre already has a 15% quota for minorities as per the Sachar committee report. There has been a demand to have the same policy in Karnataka also. The Cabinet decided to implement the same here also, accepting the report of the Cabinet sub-committee, he said. Veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa said his party was not against the interests of minorities, it was not fair to over appease them for the sake of vote bank politics.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Quota in housing in line with Centre's policy, Siddaramaiah hits back at BJP
As the Opposition BJP continued to attack the ruling Congress in Karnataka over increasing reservation for minorities in housing schemes from 10% to 15%, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has underlined that the decision was in line with the Union government's guidelines. Centre's direction Hitting back at the BJP in a statement on Friday, he said, 'This is based on the Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities (2019), which clearly directs all Central and State implementing agencies to earmark 15% of physical and financial targets for minorities wherever possible. This guideline was issued by the BJP-led Union government and has been in force for years. If this was unconstitutional or appeasement, why did the Union government ask all States to follow it? Why is it being implemented under the Central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana?' Calling the BJP's response 'both hypocritical and politically motivated', the Chief Minister said the new quota works within the unreserved category and does not affect SC, ST, or OBC reservations in any manner, as claimed by the BJP. 'The decision is legally sound and has been cleared by the Law Department after a thorough review,' he said. Not blanket Explaining the reason for the decision, he said, 'Our decision does not grant blanket enhancement of quota across the State. It only addresses a specific implementation challenge. In many panchayats where the minority population is less than 10%, the mandated 10% earmarking could not be utilised. To ensure optimal use of the allocated targets and avoid lapses, we have allowed the gap from such panchayats to be reallocated to those with a higher minority population, subject to a cap of 15%. This is an administrative adjustment within the unreserved category.' The Chief Minister said that over 34,000 additional minority families, most of them landless and in need of housing, will benefit from this decision in the current year. 'Where no minority applicants are found in a panchayat, the unutilised share will be reallocated to where there is a higher need, ensuring that not a single house remains unbuilt due to technical rigidities,' he said, urging the BJP 'to rise above narrow political calculations and support measures that truly uplift the poor'.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
PM Modi inaugurates Rs 5,735 crore worth development projects in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Rs 5,735 crore worth of development projects in Bihar's Siwan . PM Modi in Siwan inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 32 development projects across water, rail and power sectors including 22 urban development schemes. "Bihar will prosper and will also play a big role in the prosperity of the country," said Modi during a public event in Siwan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Grand Island: Lookup Anyone's Home Value Instantly by Address (Take a Look) TheFactualist Undo The prime minister handed over keys to beneficiaries to mark the Grih Pravesh ceremony of more than 6,600 completed houses of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U). Modi inaugurated six road projects in Bihar, besides laying the foundation stone for 11 projects of the Amrit Bharat scheme and another four under the Namami Gange Pariyojana. Live Events PM Modi held a roadshow in the city ahead of the projects' inauguration in his 5th state visit to Bihar this year. He flagged off a new Vande Bharat train which will run between Pataliputra junction near Patna and Gorakhpur in adjoining Uttar Pradesh. Modi also inaugurated the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line. Assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled for later this year. The current Nitish Kumar-led government is in power with the backing of the NDA.
India.com
11 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
PM Modi Embarks On Three-State Tour To Launch Key Projects Including New Vande Bharat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a two-day visit through Bihar, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh on Friday, starting development projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore and presiding over 11th International Day of Yoga. The crammed schedule consists of public speeches, train and infrastructure inaugurations, and a state-level function commemorating one year of the BJP government in Odisha. In Siwan, Bihar, Modi will inaugurate the ₹400-crore Vaishali-Deoria rail link and flag off a new train service on the stretch. To enhance connectivity in north Bihar, he will unveil the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. Complementing his "Make in India, Make for the World" vision, Modi will send a sophisticated locomotive from Bihar's Marhowra plant to Guinea, which will be the first export from the factory. The train has high-horsepower engines, regenerative braking, and sophisticated control systems. In the Namami Gange scheme, six sewage treatment plants (STPs) costing Rs 1,800 crore will be inaugurated by Modi to help save the Ganga. Modi will also launch water supply and power projects and give out the first tranche of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to more than 53,600 beneficiaries, distributing house keys during a "Grih Pravesh" ceremony for 6,600 completed houses. As Bihar's assembly elections approach, the BJP-JD(U) alliance wants to firm up its position against the RJD-led INDIA combine. In Odisha's Bhubaneswar, PM Modi will inaugurate projects of Rs 18,600 crore across drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, health, rural roads, bridges, highways, and railways. The Boudh district will get its very first railway link with new train services. Besides, 100 electric buses will be launched under the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) scheme to facilitate sustainable urban mobility. Modi will release Odisha's Vision Document, which sets targets for 2036 (Odisha's centenary as India's first linguistic state) and 2047 (India's independence centenary), and recognize women achievers from the state. On the 11th International Day of Yoga, Modi will preside over a mass yoga session in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, at a beachfront Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) event with around five lakh participants. Synchronised yoga demonstrations will be conducted at more than 3.5 lakh places across the country, including family yoga and youth-based "Yoga Unplugged" activities on MyGov and MyBharat websites. The theme of this year, "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," emphasizes the interdependence of human and global health based on the principle of "Sarve Santu Niramaya." Ever since he mooted June 21 as International Yoga Day at the UN in 2015, Modi has presided over celebrations from major cities such as New Delhi, New York, and Srinagar. The tour highlights PM Modi's focus on development, sustainability, and cultural unity as India gears up for key regional elections and global wellness initiatives.
India Today
12 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
PM Modi to visit Bihar, Odisha today; launch projects worth Rs 5,200 crore in Siwan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to three states starting Friday, during which he will unveil a series of development initiatives in Bihar and Odisha and lead the International Day of Yoga celebrations from to an official statement, PM Modi will visit Siwan in Bihar and Bhubaneswar in Odisha on June 20, where he will inaugurate multiple infrastructure and connectivity projects, address public gatherings and mark key milestones in state Bihar's Siwan, the prime minister will inaugurate the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line worth over Rs 400 crore and flag off a new train service along the route. He will also launch the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur, enhancing connectivity across north Bihar. Highlighting the "Make in India, Make for the World" initiative, Modi will flag off the first export locomotive built at the Marhowra plant, destined for Guinea. Additionally, under the Namami Gange mission, PM Modi will inaugurate six sewage treatment plants worth more than Rs 1,800 will also unveil projects related to drinking water, power infrastructure and housing, including the release of the first installment of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) for over 53,600 beneficiaries and conduct a symbolic 'Grih Pravesh' ceremony for 6,600 completed visit comes ahead of Bihar's upcoming Assembly elections, where the BJP-JD(U) alliance faces a challenge from the opposition INDIA bloc led by the Rashtriya Janata the next leg of his visit, PM Modi will visit Odisha and launch development projects worth over Rs 18,600 crore across sectors such as drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, health, roads and railways.A major highlight includes the launch of train services to Boudh, marking the district's integration into the national railway network for the first time. He will also flag off 100 electric buses under the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) system to promote green urban the prime minister is also scheduled to release the Odisha Vision Document, aligning with two significant milestones: Odisha's centenary as India's first linguistic state in 2036, and India's 100 years of independence in 2047. He will also honor women achievers from the state during his on June 21, PM Modi will lead the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations from the beachfront in Visakhapatnam. Over five lakh participants are expected to join the Common Yoga Protocol session with yoga events will take place at more than 3.5 lakh locations across India. This year's theme, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health,' highlights the link between human well-being and planetary health, echoing the Indian ethos of 'Sarve Santu Niramaya' (May all be free from disease).Since 2015, when the United Nations adopted India's proposal to observe June 21 as the International Day of Yoga, PM Modi has led celebrations from various cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Mysuru, New York (UN headquarters) and inputs from PTITune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Narendra Modi
