As part of the Centre’s Rs 24,000-crore programme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), launched last November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday virtually release the first instalment to a lakh beneficiaries under the PM Awas Yojana-Gramin and interact with members of tribal communities.

The PM PVTGs Development Mission, initially announced in the 2023-’24 Budget, aims to “saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities,” as per a government statement.

Specifically, under the umbrella scheme, nine ministries will implement 11 interventions, including the PM Gram Sadak Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, and Jal Jeevan Mission, among others.

The Congress, meanwhile, is busy with its 6,700-km Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, launched on Sunday from Manipur by MP Rahul Gandhi. On Monday evening, the yatra will arrive in Nagaland, where it will remain until January 18.

After entering Nagaland, Gandhi will spend the night in Khuzama village, which is on the border with Manipur, and hold a rally in the heart of Kohima the next day. The yatra will pass through the Kohima, Wokha, Zunheboto, and Mokukchung districts.

While the Congress’s central leadership has declined the invitation to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22 in Ayodhya, calling it a “BJP-RSS event”, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the party is set to commemorate Makar Sankranti on Monday with a visit to the temple town.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Sunday said, “On January 15, I am going to Ayodhya. Our general secretary and UP in-charge Avinash Pande and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and P L Punia will also visit Ayodhya. In all, around 100 Congressmen will go there.”

During their visit to Ayodhya, the Congress leaders will take a dip in Saryu river and then visit the Ram Temple and Hanumangarhi temple, a senior party leader said.

Across the rest of the state, the BSP is set to hold public meetings in all 75 districts on Monday to assess its preparations for the Lok Sabha elections. On the occasion of party chief Mayawati’s birthday, the party will also launch the “Behan Ji” app, made along the lines of the PM’s “NaMo” app, to help connect the state’s youth with the party.

As the national Congress presses on with the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Haryana unit of the party is set to launch the “Ghar-Ghar Congress, Har-Ghar Congress” on Monday to “expose the failures” of the CM Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said last week that party leaders and workers will travel to every “nook and corner” of the state from January 15 to March 20 as part of the campaign and will also highlight the Congress’s “pro-people policies”.

While Hooda said he would launch the campaign from Jind, state Congress president Udai Bhan would launch it in Narnaul and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda would launch the campaign from Rohtak.

On Monday, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has invited leaders of the Opposition UDF to discuss the alleged neglect shown by the Centre towards the state on various issues.

In a statement, the CM’s office said that Vijayan would hold talks with the Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and Deputy Leader of Opposition P K Kunhalikutty.

The Left government has already moved the Supreme Court against the Centre’s “unconstitutional and illegal” measures that have placed the southern state in dire financial straits.

The state government has contended that despite repeated communications to the Centre to cease its “discriminatory” actions, it has intensified its “vindictive moves,” making it difficult for Kerala to survive.

The CPI(M)-led LDF government’s move also comes in the wake of the BJP’s renewed bid to expand its base in Kerala ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Watch out for: Road to 2024, our weekly tracker on the BJP and the Opposition where we decode how the battle for the Lok Sabha is shaping up.

– With PTI inputs