Income criteria increased for EWS seeking houses under PMAY in MMR, says Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the Centre has increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh the income criterion for the economically weaker section seeking affordable housing in partnership under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for the Mumbai metropolitan region.

Taking to Twitter, Devendra Fadnavis said: "Thank you Hon PM Narendra Modi ji & Hon Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri ji for enhancing EWS income criteria from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh for AHP vertical under PMAY for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Maharashtra Government's request."

"This will help lakhs of citizens of MMR," Fadnavis further said.

A few months back, Fadnavis had said that urban coverage of the PMAY was unacceptably low and he would pursue the issue with the Union government.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over the latter's "taint" jibe, saying it seems the former CM needs some "psychiatric treatment" due to the ongoing political situation in the state.

Addressing his party workers in Nagpur, the home turf of Fadnavis, Thackeray on Monday said the BJP leader, his former ally, was a "taint" on the city as he had aligned with a section of the NCP despite asserting that he would never do so.

Playing an old audio clip of Fadnavis stating that he would never join hands with the NCP, Thackeray said the BJP leader's "no means yes".

Asked about Thackeray's critical comments, Fadnavis said, "It pains me to see the Opposition and former friend (Thackeray) facing the impact of current political developments. I think he might need to consult a psychiatrist."

The BJP also took to Facebook to launch an attack on Thackeray. It said on the social media platform, "Uddhav Thackeray should have seen his own face in the mirror before making such unacceptable comments against Fadnavis. You would have seen a corruption-ridden face in the mirror."

The Facebook post added, "You have gone crazy. Only you can use the pedestrian language. You are the taint of Maharashtra. You need to be treated in a mental hospital."

Earlier in the day, BJP workers in Nagpur held a protest against Thackeray, while the party's youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, took out a mock funeral procession of the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's legal cell submitted an application to the police in Nagpur seeking action against the Shiv Sena (UBT) president over his ¿taint¿ jibe directed at Fadnavis.

(With inputs from PTI)