Raipur, Nov 4 (IANS): Building a house is a dream of everyone’s life. A person works arduously and rigorously to build a home of his dreams but for the poor and downtrodden families, this dream rarely transforms into a reality. However, the situation is no longer the same under the Modi government.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a flagship scheme of the Modi government is helping realise the dream of many poor families to build their own ‘pucca’ houses.

Residents of Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh spoke to IANS and shared how they were making the house of their dreams, with monetary support under the PMAY.

Three widow sisters namely Kaushalya, Sukhmati and Manju became beneficiaries of PMAY and today they are living in their own houses.

Kaushalya has five members in her family, her husband died about 20 years ago. After her husband’s death, the responsibility of feeding the family fell on her. She worked as a labourer and raised her children.

“I didn't have enough income to build a permanent house. But, because of the PMAY, I am living in my own pucca house,” she said.

Manju’s husband died of a serious illness about 24 years ago. She worked as a sweeper in other people's houses to earn her livelihood.

She lived with her three small children in ‘kuccha’ house. She never dreamt of having a pucca house as it was beyond her reach. But, she is also a beneficiary of PMAY.

Sukhmati’s husband wanted to build a house for his family but he passed away during the Coronavirus period. Living in a mud house with two children, she swept and mopped other people's houses to support her family.

“Today, I am living in a pucca house, which my husband always dreamt of,” she said.

PMAY has been a highly successful and impactful scheme of Modi government, benefitting crores of families across the country, in rural and urban areas.

Today, Kaushalya, Manju and Sukhmati are rightful owners of their dream houses. With the government extending the PMAY scheme for another five years, it is bound to bring smiles and cheer to many more faces.

The PMAY was launched by PM Modi in 2015 to provide affordable housing to economically weaker sections in both rural and urban locations.