Gujarat: Garib Kalyan Mela to provide Rs 4568 crore benefit to 12 lakh people

Deesa: The 14th edition of Gujarat’s Garib Kalyan Mela has been launched to distribute over Rs 4,568 crore in financial assistance to more than 12 lakh beneficiaries.

Inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Deesa, Banaskantha, the melas aim to empower the underprivileged by delivering direct benefits from various government schemes.

On the first day alone, over 1 lakh people received assistance worth Rs. 318 crore, marking a significant step in the government’s ongoing efforts to uplift economically disadvantaged communities.

At the event, the Chief Minister emphasised that the Garib Kalyan Melas, which began under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in 2009-10, have become a public movement to empower the poor.

He noted that the Prime Minister’s welfare schemes, like the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, have provided a new chapter of economic and social empowerment for the underprivileged.

During the Deesa event, Chief Minister Patel distributed Rs 45 crore in aid to over 11,000 beneficiaries. Simultaneously, Garib Kalyan Melas, held across Gujarat’s 33 districts, assisted more than 1 lakh beneficiaries, amounting to over Rs 318 crore in financial support.

This phase of the melas is expected to benefit 12 lakh people, with a total of Rs 4,568 crore earmarked for the initiative. Patel stressed that the state’s welfare schemes focus on the poor, youth, farmers, and women, as these pillars are vital to building a developed India.

Water Resources Minister Kunwarji Bawaliya highlighted a significant group water supply scheme for Banaskantha, benefiting 156 villages in Disa, Lakhani, and Amirgarh talukas. Based on the Narmada Main Canal, the multi-phase project is expected to improve water supply and overall development in the region.

Nearly one-third of Gujarat’s population, amounting to over 31 lakh families, lives below the poverty line (BPL). The poverty threshold is Rs 816 per capita per month in rural areas and Rs 1,000 per capita per month in urban areas - equating to Rs 32 per day for rural areas and Rs 26 for urban areas.

Responding to a query from Congress MLA Tushar Chaudhary on September 14, 2023, State Minister for Rural Development Bachubhai Maganbhai Khabad revealed that 31,61,310 BPL families have been identified in Gujarat. Of these, 16,28,744 families are categorised as extremely poor, while 15,32,566 are classified as poor.

The data also shows a trend: in 2020-21, 1,047 families fell into the BPL category, while only 14 families rose above it. In 2021-22, 1,751 families entered the BPL list, with only two families escaping poverty. In 2022-23, 303 additional families were added to the BPL category, but only one family managed to exit.