In his first New Year’s speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that the Covid-19 crisis had forced those who did not understand the importance of migrant workers to do so.
He spoke at the inauguration of six Light House Projects under the Global Housing Technology Challenge with the Chief Ministers of UP, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh present.
Speaking about the Affordable Rental Housing Complex scheme, he said, “The target of this program is those migrant colleagues who come from one state to another, or come from towns to cities. Before Corona, we had seen that in some places inappropriate things were said to people who came from other states. They were insulted. But during Corona, the workers returned to their own homes, then the rest realized that living without them is very difficult, “he said.
“Without them, how difficult it is to manage industries. People folded their hands and said, ‘Come back, come back.’ What Corona did was that for those who did not accept the importance of our migrant workers, it forced them to do so, ”said the Prime Minister.
“We have seen that our immigrant friends cannot find adequate rental housing in our cities. In small rooms, many of the many workers stay. In these places there are problems with the supply of water, electricity, bathrooms, lack of hygiene, ”he said.
It is the responsibility of all compatriots to ensure that those who work in the service of the country live with respect, Modi said.
“With this thinking, along with industry and investors, the government is concentrating on offering affordable housing. An effort is also made so that the houses are located where they work ”, he added.
The Light House Projects, the prime minister said, would act as a “hub of innovation and incubation” for home building technologies from around the world.
“It is necessary that the government ministries do not act as large stagnant structures, but as start-ups, enthusiasts and robust. To do this, we organize the Global Housing Technology Challenge and invite the best companies in the world. I am happy that 50 and more innovative technology companies from around the world have participated in this program. From this Global Challenge, we have the scope to innovate and incubate new technologies. In the next stage of this process, starting today, in different places, 6 Light House projects are starting. These Light House projects will be carried out using modern technology and innovative processes. In this, the time required for construction will be reduced and the poor will get more resistant, affordable and comfortable housing, ”he said.
Calling the multi-state involvement an example of cooperative federalism, Modi said he wanted planners, architecture professors and students to study these new models.
Prime Minister Modi said that people’s faith that they would get their own homes had waned, but Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana changed that.
“In the last six years, the steps taken in the country for a common man, especially for the working middle class, to give him back the faith that his own home is possible,” he said.
The Prime Minister awarded Uttar Pradesh the best implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) for 2019.
Prime Minister Modi also presented Gujarat with three awards: PMAY-Urban Policy Initiative to Adopt an Affordable Housing Policy in the State, Affordable Housing Projects on Private Land, and On-Site Redevelopment of Slums.
With input from ENS Lucknow and Rajkot
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