RURAL POPULATION

• Over Rs. 3 lakh crores spent in rural areas every year, for rural poor from Central Budget, State Budgets, Bank linkage for self-help groups, etc.

• Aim to bring one crore households out of poverty and to make 50,000 Gram Panchayats poverty free by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji.

• Against target of 5 lakh farm ponds under MGNREGA, 10 lakh farm ponds would be completed by March 2017. During 2017–18, another 5 lakh farm ponds will be taken up.

• Women participation in MGNREGA has increased to 55% from less than 48%.

• MGNREGA allocation to be the highest ever at Rs. 48,000 crores in 2017–18.

• Pace of construction of PMGSY roads accelerated to 133 km roads per day in 2016–17, against an avg. of 73 km during 2011–2014.

• Government has taken up the task of connecting habitations with more than 100 persons in left wing extremism affected Blocks under PMGSY. All such habitations are expected to be covered by 2019 and the allocation for PMGSY, including the State’s Share is Rs. 27,000 crores in 2017–18.

• Allocation for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin increased from Rs. 15,000 crores in BE 2016–17 to Rs. 23,000 crores in 2017–18 with a target to complete 1 crore houses by 2019 for the houseless and those living in kutcha houses.

• Well on our way to achieving 100% village electrification by 1st May 2018.

• Allocation for Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program and Credit Support Schemes has been increased three fold.

• Sanitation coverage in rural India has gone up from 42% in Oct 2014 to about 60%. Open Defecation Free villages are now being given priority for piped water supply.

• As part of a sub mission of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme. (NRDWP), it is proposed to provide safe drinking water to over 28,000 arsenic and fluoride affected habitations in the next four years.

• For imparting new skills to people in rural areas, mason training will be

provided to 5 lakh persons by 2022.

• A programme of “human resource

reforms for results” will be launched during 2017–18 for human resources development in Panchayati Raj Institutions.

• Total allocation for Rural, Agriculture and Allied sectors is Rs. 187223 crores.