CM addresses 1.55 lakh beneficiaries of Garib Kalyan Mela through video conferencing from Surat

GoG to distribute benefits worth Rs.10000 cr through four GKM

The Chief Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the 1.55 lakh beneficiaries of Garib Kalyan Mela (GKM) through video conferencing from Surat. He said the state government has planned to distribute benefits worth Rs.10,000 crore through a series of four GKM.

Through the medium of GKM, the state government has initiated a campaign to eliminate poverty from the state, he said. The GKM has eliminated the middlemen between the government and the beneficiaries. It has shown the nation a way to eliminate poverty, he said.

Now, the government itself goes to the doors of poor to give them their rights instead the poor going to government offices to seek their benefits. The efforts of state administration are commendable as the government officials took trouble to find out real beneficiaries of welfare schemes, the Chief Minister said.

The Gujarat alone in the country has allotted houses to all the homeless BPL families of 0-16 grade. Now, the State is also going to give houses to BPL families of 17-20 grades. About 2.5 lakh beneficiaries will get residential plots during this round of GKM, said the Chief Minister.

The state government has increased the provisions of education related welfare schemes with a view to encourage poor families to educate their children. The monthly pension to the widows has been increased from Rs.500 to Rs.750 with a view to make them financially self-reliant. The state government has also cared to provide nutritional food to poors mother with a view to curb the problem of malnutrition from the state.

The state government will give sewing machines to poor women, cycle to poor girls and tools to the workmen, he said.

The Chief Minister has also raised the package of Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojna from Rs.15000 crore to Rs.40000 crore and has approved a new package of Rs.21000 crore for the development of seafarer community. During this round of GKM, the sakhimandala will also be given financial assistance worth Rs.700 crore, the Chief Minister said.