Dysfunctional of PMAY scheme: Poor people in Chhattisgarh yet to receive subsidy

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was once a promising decentralised scheme expected to solve India’s ‘housing shortage’, but cases in Chhattisgarh reported that two households were excluded from availing scheme's benefit.

Pendra (Chhattisgarh): Several Government schemes are not reaching the poor and hapless people in remote areas.

Two such cases have come to light at Patgawa village in Pendra district of Chhattisgarh where people have accused the Rural Development Department, for not providing the benefit of the Scheme Prime Minister Awas Yojna (PMAY) of the Government of India.

Usha Bai Kol and Gudda Routel, the local residents have alleged that they have not got any supports from the Rural Development Department (RDD) and their houses under PMAY scheme has been stolen by the government officials.

"We are poor people. We have taken up our problems with the administration. If the officials do not take steps, what we can do. The house was approved in my name but I am living in another rented house. We do not have any land of our own on which I can build my own house. And the district officials took advantage of it, " said Gudda Routel to reporters.

"The govt officials told me to stand in front of an old house and took a photograph of mine but after that neither the land was allotted from the panchayat for the house nor any official came to us. I think the officials have stolen the government allocated money," he said.

Similarly, Usha has also requested officials to arrange something for her family in the awas yojana but she is yet to get any response from the block administration.

"In the guideline set under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, there is a provision that the beneficiary who does not have land or is landless, the Panchayat will allot government land for the beneficiary on which his residence will be built. The beneficiary has lodged a complaint about the theft of his residence at Pendra police station. We are investigating the matter and all the officers who are guilty will be prosecuted," said I Tirckey, inspector, Pendra police station.

Collector of Pendra, D Singh, when contacted said, "This information has been brought to my notice, I have called for the investigation report of this entire case as well as we will work first in the direction of getting accommodation to the beneficiary, but whoever is guilty in this case, will be punished. We will soon initiate an inquiry and take appropriate step to end the family’s problem."