jharkhand-rural-bus-scheme | 22 Feb 2024

Why in News?

Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai launched the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition government’s ambitious ‘Mukhya Mantri Gram Gadi Yojana’ (MMGGY), a rural transport scheme, to facilitate bus services in far flung areas.

Key Points

  • The primary objective of the scheme is to establish connectivity between blocks, subdivisions, and district headquarters to ensure that residents of remote villages have access to a convenient transportation system.
  • Around 15,000 km roads are being constructed in rural areas. Senior citizens, school and college students, physically challenged, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive, widows and Jharkhand movement activists will get the facility of free travel in buses.
    • Under the first phase of the scheme, the government has decided to operate 250 vehicles. The permit, registration and fitness fees have also been reduced to Rs 1 to attract operators.
  • According to the CM, more than 24,000 beneficiaries from Ranchi, Gumla and Lohardaga were given approval letters for the Abua Awas scheme.
    • An amount of Rs 72.35 crore was transferred as first installment to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
      • After three months, nine lakh houses will be allotted under the scheme.

Mukhya Mantri Gramin Gaadi Yojana

  • It is a scheme launched by the Jharkhand government in 2023 with the objective of providing easy transport facilities to people in rural areas.
  • The scheme will operate vehicles in those areas where people have to walk for several kilometers to reach the main road or the nearest town.
  • It will benefit farmers, laborers, students, patients, and other rural citizens who face difficulties in commuting due to a lack of transport options.

Abua Awas Yojana (AAY)

  • Under this scheme, the state government will provide housing to the needy people from its own fund by spending more than Rs 15,000 crore in the next two years.
  • Three room houses will be provided to the poor, deprived, labourers, farmers, tribals, backward and Dalits.