Jharkhand

• 20 Oct 2021

Pradhanmantri Awas Yojna (Rural) scheme

Why in News

According to the recently released data, in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin, Awas Plus) in Jharkhand, tribal district Simdega is at the first place with 93.25 percent target achievement, while Ranchi district is second with 91.99 percent target achievement.

Key Points

• According to the data, Ranchi district was given a target of 17,958 houses for 2021-22. Against this target, 16,520 beneficiaries have been approved for the housing scheme.
• Khalari block has become the first block in Ranchi which completed the target five months back. In Khalari block, a target was set to provide housing to 105 beneficiaries for the financial year 2021-22, which has been completed.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was launched in the year 2015. The benefit of this scheme is given to the economically weaker section of the rural area, who do not have their own pucca house. They are given financial assistance for building a house or repairing a kutcha house. Under the scheme, an assistance of Rs 1.30 lakh is given to the people living in rural areas and Rs 1.20 lakh in urban areas.
• The objective of PMAY (Gramin) is to provide a pucca house with basic amenities to all homeless households and families living in kutcha and dilapidated houses.
• The minimum size of the house has been increased from 20 sqm to 25 sqm with clean cooking space. Similarly, the unit assistance has been increased from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh in plain areas and Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly states and difficult areas.
• The cost of the unit assistance is to be shared between the Center and the State Government in the ratio of 60:40 in the plain areas and 90:10 for the North Eastern and Himalayan States.

Kojagra Festival

Why in News

On October 19, 2021, Mithila Cultural Council (MSP), Bokaro organized 'Kojagra Utsav' at Mithila Academy Public School Auditorium, Bokaro Steel City to commemorate 'Maa Lakshmi Puja'.

Key Points

• A grand cultural festival was organized on this occasion, in which solo songs and group songs were presented by artists Arun Pathak, Preeti Rai, Sujata Jha, Madhu Jha, Kiran Jha, Neelu Jha, Kiran Mishra, Preeti Priya, Alka Jha in Maithili language.
• MSP general secretary Avinash Kumar Jha said that on this day, people of the society worship Goddess Lakshmi and pray for happiness and prosperity.
• This festival is celebrated in every household on the day of Ashwin Purnima. Especially in the house of newly married youths of the society, it is celebrated as a big festival.
• There is a tradition of eating 'paan' and 'makhan' as prasad on this day.