Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad visited the city on Thursday to review the implementation of various Central Government schemes.
The Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced different schemes for the different sections of the society in his eight-year tenure.
“Mr. Modi announced the Ujjwala scheme for the poor people without gas connection at home and nine crore families have benefitted. For the farmers, he announced PM Kisan Samma Yojana through which 11.5 crore farmers get ₹600 every year. Through PM Anna Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, many under the poverty line have been getting free wheat, rice and dal for 15 months now,” he said.
“For the new businessmen or industrialists without funds to provide as collateral, the Mudra Loan Yojana was launched eight years ago. Under the scheme, ₹15,000 to ₹10 lakh worth of loans have been sanctioned without collateral. Moreover, to help street vendors avoid availing of loans with high interest from private financiers, the PM Svanidhi scheme was introduced and crores have benefitted,” he said.
“I will review the implementation of these schemes in the city for two days and meet the officials (of local bodies), beneficiaries and bank officers,” the Minister said.
The Minster added, “I have collected details from BJP workers on the various problems across the city like bad roads, improper drainage system even after Central funds were sanctioned, flaws in solid waste management, tax hike and irregular water supply. These issues are of the concern of the Corporation and not the Union Government. Yet, some political parties blame the Central Government (for these issues).”
“India is celebrating 75 years of Independence as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Yet there is a lack of water supply in many towns and rural areas. Our mission is ‘Har Ghar Ko Nal, Aur Nal Ko Jal’ (A tap for every house, and water for the tap) and for this, the Centre Government has sanctioned funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The officials must implement the schemes properly,“ Dr. Karad said.
Coimbatore is an important city in Tamil Nadu and the expansion of the airstrip at the airport is necessary, he said. "This is a combined project - both Centre and State - if the State Government acquires the land, Centre will carry out the expansion work," he said.
"I will also review the projects under the Smart City Project Mission in Coimbatore for which the Centre had allocated ₹1,000 crore. If the implementation of the schemes are not up to the mark, I will take the issue with the Central or State Minister concerned," Dr. Karad said.
The Minister said that he plans to visit the city again at the end of September to check the loans provided to the beneficiaries through Central schemes are properly utilised.
