Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 18 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday virtually inaugurated newly constructed 348 homes under the PM Awas Yojana for beneficiaries in Neemuch district via video conferencing.

The Chief Minister congratulated the families getting the house ahead of Diwali and interacted with the beneficiaries on the occasion.

'Owning a house is everyone's dream, and there is no greater joy than having it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped over four crore people across the country build their houses. The Prime Minister has resolved to ensure that every citizen gets a home. Three hundred and forty-eight families in Neemuch are witnessing their long-cherished dream come true. This Diwali is the most beautiful in their lives as they will celebrate it in their new homes,' he said, according to a release.

Yadav extended greetings for the Grih Pravesh ceremony for these 348 families and conveyed best wishes for Dhanteras and the five-day Diwali festival to all homeowners.

He quoted PM Modi, saying, 'When a poor person's home is lit up, that's when the country truly celebrates Diwali.'

He added that Madhya Pradesh is progressing in this direction and celebrating a Diwali of welfare and development with the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. The government's intentions and policies are clear and aimed at empowering the poor. In the past, schemes were launched in the name of the poor, but the benefits often failed to reach them for generations. Through PMAY, beneficiaries have received roofs with dignity and security.

Under the PMAY (Urban) 2.0 scheme, the government plans to build 10 lakh houses. Madhya Pradesh has been making rapid progress and has received the Second Best Performing State Award in PMAY (Urban) implementation. Neemuch has consistently performed exceptionally well in this regard.

The Chief Minister shared that homes built worth Rs 134 crore were being handed over in Neemuch, including 144 houses for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), 144 for the Lower Income Group (LIG) and 60 for the Middle Income Group (MIG)

Reaffirming his commitment, he said every poor person will have a pucca house. Work is ongoing in mission mode to provide urban poor with proper housing through PMAY. So far, over 49 lakh families in Madhya Pradesh have realized their dream of owning a home, over 40 lakh rural and 8 lakh urban families, he said.

He further said that Madhya Pradesh is celebrating both the Diwali of Lamps and the Diwali of Hearts. It is a moment of double happiness, the festival and the fulfillment of a dream. He extended his best wishes for prosperity and good health to all new homeowners. (ANI)