PM’s Independence Day speech to have rural pitch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech is expected to have a rural pitch, with some officials saying it could underline the government’s achievements in three key schemes for the poor—‘Ujjwala’ LPG connections, rural housing and ‘Saubhagya’ electricity scheme.

The August 15 speech from Red Fort will be Modi’s last Independence Day address to the nation in his present term.

The ministry of rural development has set a target of building 6 million rural houses by August 15, as per an internal presentation made by the rural affairs secretary, Amarjeet Sinha, last week.


Additionally, the government is planning to complete 10 million houses under the PM Awas Yojana – Grameen (PMAY-G) by December 31 this year. About 4.8 million such houses are ready.

The petroleum ministry is working to meet its initial target of 50 million Ujjwala LPG connections by August 15, of which it has already released 45 m.

In February, the prime minister raised the target for Ujjwala connections to 80 million -- which the government now aims to achieve by 2020.

The Saubhagya scheme, started last September to get electricity to every home, could see completion of 10 million connections by August 15, officials told ET. Against a target of 37 million households by March 2019, the government has already electrified 7.97 million households under Saubhagya scheme.

The extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (GSA) from June 1 to August 15 in over 49,000 villages of the 115 aspirational districts in the country is also focussing on the Ujjwala, Saubhagya and PMAY (G) schemes in a big way. For example, the extended phase of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan aims at giving out first instalment of PMAY-G to all beneficiaries and completion of houses of all those who have already received the second instalment of the subsidy.

“The extended GSA is expected to play a big role in completion of new targets. In fact, much speed was brought in all three schemes due to the first Gram Swaraj Abhiyan from April 14 to May 5 in about 44,000 villages and the ongoing extended phase of GSA in a bigger ambit,” a senior official told ET.