Monitor loans to Self-Help Groups: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday stressed on due monitoring of loans being given to self-help groups and favoured putting in a mechanism for stringent quality checks of the roads being constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna.

Reviewing progress of rural development schemes, he said quality checks should be made at the material procurement stage, the construction stage, as well as the maintenance stage.

"The Prime Minister was given a presentation on the progress of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY), by the NITI Aayog," an official statement said.

An average of 91 kilometres of rural roads have been built daily in the Financial Year 2015-16, resulting in addition of a total 30,500 km of rural road length and connecting around 6500 habitations.

The Prime Minister was also informed about the use of innovative best practices in PMGSY to further speed up the rural road construction.

These include the use of GIS and Space Imagery for planning and monitoring, efficient fund flow by minimising the number of layers and citizen grievance redressal through the app - "Meri Sadak."

"The Prime Minister directed concerned officials to put in place an effective mechanism for stringent quality monitoring of the roads being built under the scheme. He said that quality checks should be made at the material procurement stage, the construction stage, as well as the maintenance stage," the statement said.

On Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) that targets poverty alleviation through sustainable livelihoods, the Prime Minister was informed that so far, around 3 crore households have been linked to Self Help Groups (SHGs).

"The Prime Minister asked for due monitoring of the loans being given to SHGs, using Aadhaar. He emphasised that loans must reach the intended beneficiaries, for this scheme to be successful," the statement said.