PM attacks Mamata over demonetisation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said political leaders behind multi-crore chit fund scams are attacking him as they have been hit hard by demonetisation, in remarks seen as sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
He also hit out at the Congress saying governments in the past 70 years kept quiet on blackmoney because they were worried about losing power.
Addressing a 'Parivartan rally' here, Modi cautioned people holding Jan Dhan accounts not to allow themselves to be used for laundering the money of the rich by depositing their ill-gotten wealth as they could unnecessarily get into problems with law.

"I know what sort of people are raising their voice against me? Does the country not know whose money was invested in chit fund business? Lakhs and crores of poor people invested money in chit funds. But with the blessings of politicians, crores and crores of rupees have vanished.
"Due to chit fund loss, hundreds of head of families were forced to commit suicide. Look at history and they are questioning me," he said in barbs aimed apparently at Banerjee, who had been rallying political leaders against the demonetisation decision.
However, the Prime Minister did not name any leaders.

Modi said previous governments did not take any step to

check blackmoney as they were worried more about losing power than about the country.
"For how long will the country keep quiet? They (previous governments) kept quiet for 70 years. Not because they were unaware of this disease. They worried less about country and more about power. That's why they were not ready to take any step (to check it)," the Prime Minister said, in a veiled attack at Congress.
Modi said on the one side cross-border terrorism was killing army personnel and on the other hand economic terrorism was pushing the country's youth and economy towards catastrophe.
He said fake currency notes were pushed into the country and because of the demonetisation the business of drugs and other narcotics have come to stand still.

"There is a big jolt to the business of fake Indian currency notes due to demonetisation," the Prime Minister said.
Referring to government's decision of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, Modi said the decision has not been taken to harass people but to help poor, marginalised and honest people.
He cautioned people not to let their Jan Dhan accounts to be misused by corrupt people.
"I have come to request you. These corrupt people are very cunning. They may approach you to deposit Rs 2.5 lakh in your account. They can ask you to return Rs two lakh after six months and offer you Rs 50,000. But please do not let these people take advantage of you.

"Law is very tough... The corrupt would say it is not my money and the people in whose accounts the money is deposited will be answerable. Unnecessarily poor will have problem with law. I do not want my brothers and sisters to have any problem," the Prime Minister said.
(Reopens DEL81 )
Modi also formally launched 'Housing for All' in rural areas under which the government proposes to provide an environmentally safe and secure pucca house to every rural household by 2022.
Named as the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) or PMAY-G, in its first phase the target is to complete one crore houses by March 2019.

"The unit cost for these houses has been significantly increased and now through convergence a minimum support of nearly Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.6 lakh to a household is available.
"There is also a provision of Bank loan upto Rs 70,000, if the beneficiary so desires. The selection of beneficiaries has been through a completely transparent process using the Socio Economic Census 2011 data and validating it through the Gram Sabha," an official release said.
PMAY-G is a major step forward in bringing together Skill India, Digital India, Make In India, Information Technology/ Direct Benefit Transfer Aadhaar platform and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, it said.

The programme provides for skilling 5 lakh rural masons by 2019 and allows over 200 different housing designs across the country based on a detailed study of housing typologies, environmental hazards and the households' requirements.
A large-scale use of local materials is envisaged along with a complete home with cooking space, electricity provision, LPG, toilet and bathing area, drinking water etc through convergence, the release said.
The programme targets the poor households and uses of information communication technology and space technology to further confirm correct selection of beneficiaries and progress of work.
"The entire payments are through IT/DBT mode with Aadhaar linked bank accounts with consent, to ensure complete transparency and accountability. There is a provision for orientation of beneficiaries. A 45 days on site hands-on skill training of rural masons helps poor households to move up the skilling ladder," it said.

The PM saw over 40 of the over 200 building designs and interacted with newly trained rural masons and beneficiaries.
He also distributed sanction certificates to a few beneficiaries from Agra district.