PM Modi interacts with beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat, PM SVANidhi; says these schemes are for poor

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and PM SVANidhi schemes.
While talking to one of the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat, PM Modi asked "How come he learnt about the Ayushman Bharat", the beneficiary replied that "An Asha worker came one day and they told him that his name is there on the Ayushman card after which I made the card and took my husband to Apex Hospital for cancer treatment."
Talking to another Ayushman Bharat cardholder the beneficiary said that when he went to the hospital for the treatment of the leg the doctor said Rs 1 lakh will be needed for the treatment and we didn't have this much money.
"For 4-5 years I was in bed. My wife used to earn money and look after me, then we learned about the Ayushman card and after that operation was done and today I am standing on my legs," said the beneficiary.
After talking to the beneficiary PM Modi said Ayushman Bharat is for the poor. He also asked the beneficiary to tell more people and make others aware of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Prime Minister distributed the loans of PMSVANidhi, keys of PMAY Rural houses and Ayushman Bharat cards to the beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh. This will kickstart the Grih Pravesh of 5 lakh PMAY beneficiaries, the distribution of 1.25 lakh PMSVANidhi loans to eligible beneficiaries and the distribution of Rs 2.88 crores Ayushman cards.
The Prime Minister, who had earlier interacted with the beneficiaries of various schemes, said that during the earlier times, the schemes were not connected with the grassroots.
He said that the current government has started a new tradition of dialogue and interaction with the beneficiaries, meaning 'direct benefit as well as direct feedback". This has resulted in better performances by the departments and officers, he added.
"So many years after Independence, the true benefit of democracy has reached the correct people in the true sense", the Prime Minister continued.
The Prime Minister underlined that the beneficiary class has become an example of the truest form of social justice and secularism as the Government strives to take the benefits to the last man in every scheme. This approach, the Prime Minister said, has led to the culling of commission seekers, brokers and scamsters thereby eliminating corruption and discrimination.
The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, the four-lane widening of the Varanasi - Jaunpur section of NH-56, which has been completed at a cost of more than Rs 2750 crore making travel from Varanasi to Lucknow easier and faster.
PM Modi also attended the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 awardee, publisher Gita Press here and also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express train in Gorakhpur.
PM Modi's tour of four states including Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan will conclude on Saturday. (ANI)