Garib Kalyan Mela is to wage direct war against poverty : CM

4th annual Garib Kalyan Mela launch through videoconferencing to 22 districts in Gujarat

“Shramyogi Yojna is to raise five poorest families in each village out of poverty”

“Garib Kalyan Mela is to wage direct war against poverty” – Narendra Modi

Speaking on the occasion he said that Garib Kalyan Mela started in Gujarat to wage a direct war against poverty four years back has over the years emerged as a mission for the nation. Assistance worth Rs.8,120-crore have been disbursed to 58.68-lakh beneficiaries so far.

Mr. Modi called for erasing poverty from the face of the state with a slogan of ‘not to remain poor, any more’. The government propose to hand over assistance worth Rs.1,200-crore directly to 15-lakh beneficiaries during the Melas this year.

He said the uniqueness of Garib Melas is to eliminate the middlemen usually seen in the implementation of pro-poor projects. Earlier, the people had to make rounds government officials and go from pillar to post in search of livelihood.

The Chief Minister described education and de-addiction as the two best medicines to cure poverty. No child should remain uneducated in any family.

“We are not doing any charity to poor, but only giving them their rights. The purpose is to change the condition of the poor, called ‘Daridra Narayan’ in India.

This year, he said, the government has decided to raise five poorest families in each family out of poverty as part of the ‘Shramyogi Yojna’. The government has collated and improved upon over 700 existing pro-poor projects to suit the ‘Shramyogi Yojna’.