PunjabandHaryanaare lagging in constructing roads, houses and providing sustainable livelihood to people living in rural areas. Both the states missed the targets set under the flagship schemes of the central government by big margins, according to the progress report on the 20-point programme compiled by theUnion ministry of statisticsfor the first three quarters of 2022-23.
In both states, over 60% of the Population resides in rural areas. Despite that, the two states are underperforming in the implementation of thePradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(Grameen) aimed at providing pucca houses with supply of water, electricity and toilet facility for all homeless people living in kutcha or dilapidated houses.
Haryana has achieved only 19% of the target, constructing 882 houses against a target of 4,734 set for the period between April 2022 and December 2022, while Punjab could only achieve 22% of the target.
The state built 1,840 houses during the period against the target of 8,481. The neighbouring Himachal Pradesh fared better as it achieved 72% of the target set for the corresponding period by constructing 2,126 houses against a target of 2,973.
Punjab and Haryana have also been found wanting as far as implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana a scheme to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages is concerned. The two states could not even meet half of the targets set under the scheme. While Haryana achieved a target of 45%, constructing 297 km of roads against the target of 657 km, Punjab achieved 47% of the target by constructing 353 km of roads against a target of 750 km.
Both the states also floundered in the execution of the (NRLM), which aims at creating institutional platforms for the rural poor, enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial Services.