AYODHYA: Occupants of this
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
house in Kandharpur locality of Ayodhya were hardly known to the people in their neighbourhood till Saturday morning. However, by afternoon,
Meera Manjhi
and her family of five had attained celebrity status.
It all happened because of one small detour PM Narendra
Modi
took while going to the airport after inaugurating the Ayodhya Dham railway station.
His destination was Meera’s modest house. She was informed just an hour before the PM landed at the house of the 10th crore beneficiary of Ujjwala scheme.
She had received her gas stove and cylinder on Friday. An hour before Modi came calling on Saturday, officials told Meera that some top government officer was expected to visit her house and seek some details. “We were also told to make the house ready for the high-profile visit and cook something to offer to the visitor,” said Meera while interacting with reporters after the PM left her house.
The details of Modi’s plan to spend 15 minutes at the house of the Manjhi family was not known to the local residents, political leaders and even the beat-duty police officials. Upon the PM’s arrival, the entire area resonated with chants of “Modi-Modi”.
Meera, her husband Suraj, the couple’s children and her parents-in-law were in the house when the PM arrived. After Modi interacted with the children briefly, he was offered tea. He asked the family a few questions — “Did you have to bribe anyone to avail the benefits of the scheme?”… “Have you got direct benefit transfer into your bank account?”
During their interaction, Meera and Suraj told the PM that besides availing the benefit of the Ujjwala scheme, they have also got a pucca house under the PMAY (Urban), free electricity and water supply connections, apart from free ration supplies.
Modi complimented Meera, who sells flowers near the banks of Saryu ghat for a living, for the tea. “Being a chaiwala in the past, I know how good tea really tastes,” Modi said, adding jovially that it had become a little sweeter. “Demand for your flowers will go up,” he also said, hinting at an increased count of visitors once the Ram temple opens.
English (US) ·