Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the Rs 24,000-crore Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Mission in Jharkhand. He also released Rs 18,000 crore as the 15th installment of the PM-Kisan scheme to 8 crore beneficiaries from Khunti.

Under the PVTG Mission, basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, and sustainable livelihood opportunities will be provided to PVTG habitations, which are mostly remote, scattered and inaccessible, an official statement said.

“A lot of bayanbaazi (declarations) happen on social justice, secularism. However, true secularism comes only when there is no discrimination. True social justice comes when all get benefits of government schemes,” the PM said after launching the scheme

The PM also unveiled projects worth around Rs 7,200 crore for Jharkhand including rail, road, education, coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

The projects inaugurated include the new campus of IIM-Ranchi, a new hostel of IIT-ISM Dhanbad, Petroleum Oil, and Lubricants (POL) depot in Bokaro, doubling of railway tracks in the Hatia-Pakra, Talgaria-Bokaro and Jarangdih-Patratu sections.

The projects for which foundations will be laid include the four-laning of the 52-km stretch of the Mahagama-Hansdiha section of NH-133, four-laning of the 45-km stretch of Basukinath-Deoghar section of NH-114 A, KDH-Purnadih Coal Handling Plant and a new academic and administrative building of IIIT-Ranchi.

Meanwhile, Congress questioned the release of money under the PM-KISAN scheme, wondering if that was intentional, as in two days, the two states will go to polls.

Madhya Pradesh will vote on November 17 and the second phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh will also be on the same day.

.