Need to conduct detailed survey of homeless people: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

CHANDIGARH: There was a need to conduct a detailed survey of homeless people in Haryana so that they could be provided housing facility under Centre's scheme of housing for all by 2022, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said.

Khattar also directed the officials concerned to identify vacant land in the villages for the same.

The chief minister, who held a meeting with Union Minister Birender Singh and senior officials here, said these houses would be constructed as per the guidelines issued by Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchyati Raj.

"Rural development is the priority of the state government, but due to the neglect of development of rural areas by previous (Congress) government, the people were migrating to urban areas thus making these areas overcrowded," Khattar said, according to an official release here.

"To decongest the urban areas and to change the attitude of people towards rural areas, the government would develop villages at par with urban areas so that people could get all basic facilities in the villages," he added.

Khattar sought central assistance for setting up of "Gram Sachivalyas" in the state.

He said the state government is implementing the Swach Bharat Mission in letter and spirit.

With a view to encourage the local bodies towards cleanliness and to ensure their participation in the successful implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, the state government has started a new award scheme under which Rs five lakh each would be given to those panchayts who would adopt solid and liquid waste management.

Apart from this, Rs five lakh would be given to those panchayats which would make their villages free from open defecation, he added.