Pune (Maharashtra) [India] February 22 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, were present in Pune for the distribution of certificates to the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna.
During the event, Fadnavis highlighted the state government's ambitious housing project.
He said, "Under the leadership of Modi ji, the Maharashtra state government is working to provide homes to 15.1 lakh families... We are investing Rs70,000 crore for this purpose, and with the addition of solar energy, this investment will gradually rise to around Rs1 lakh crore."
Fadnavis lauded the Rural Development Department's contribution, noting, "The work done by the Rural Development Department in such a good way is commendable. I congratulate the Rural Development Minister, Shri Jaykumar Gore ji, our team from the District Council, the district officers, and all the various departments for their efforts."
He expressed appreciation for the efforts put into the project but reminded attendees that the work was ongoing.
"Your work has just begun; it is not yet complete," Fadnavis stated. He explained that after the disbursement of the first installment of funds, it was essential to ensure that the "work has been done" as per the set guidelines, with "geo-tagging" and proper certification before proceeding to the second installment.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 27th meeting of the Western Regional Council in Pune, where he underscored the importance of the cooperative sector in achieving India's ambitious goals
Speaking at the event, "PM Modi has set two targets for India--Viksit Bharat by 2047 and USD 5 trillion economy. These two goals can be achieved by the contribution of the cooperative sector, and that is why he has initiated the Union cooperative ministry."
He praised the ministry's work and its impact, saying, "Through this ministry, a lot of things have been revolutionised in the country. The ministry works on the motto of 'Sahkar se Samriddhi'. And this Janta Sahkari bank also works on the same lines."
Shah also urged the sector to embrace technology, saying, "Friends, today as we move forward with cooperatives, I want to say with certainty that we must also embrace technology."
He highlighted Maharashtra's contribution, stating, "If we take a broad look at the cooperative and urban cooperative banking sector in the country, there are a total of 1,465 cooperative banks, of which 460 are in Maharashtra alone. If there is any state with the highest number of urban cooperative banks in the country, it is Maharashtra. There are a total of 49 scheduled banks..."