Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Odisha and Bihar top the list of states that lag behind in providing land to their landless beneficiaries under the PM Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), contributing to around 92% of the total remaining landless beneficiaries, according to government data.
This has prompted the Centre to warn states in a letter that the targets allotted to these states will be withdrawn and re-allocated to other “better performing” states if the land is not allotted to these beneficiaries by December 15 this year. The letter issued by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) on November 25 stated that the landless beneficiaries, those without land to construct houses, are “among the most deserving beneficiaries” in the permanent waitlist of the Centre’s flagship scheme. Providing land to such people is the responsibility of the state governments, the letter added.
As per the letter, these states have been reminded repeatedly since 2018 on this issue through eight letters to the Chief Ministers, the last such letter being written on January 31 this year. “However, land is still to be provided to 2,79,623 beneficiaries majorly from the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam, Odisha and Bihar which contribute to around 92 percent of the total remaining landless PMAY-G beneficiaries,” the letter stated.
Of these, Tamil Nadu is an Opposition-ruled state, while Maharashtra was one till five months ago. “Of the 5.24 lakh landless beneficiaries in the country eligible for such houses, nearly 2.75 lakh people are still to be allowed land by various states,” said an official.
Of all the states, the worst record is of Maharashtra, which is yet to allot land to over 1 lakh such persons, while Tamil Nadu has not given land to 96,806 labourers who do not have land. Assam is still to give land to 20,438 of the 46,415 eligible people. While Bihar has so far allotted land only to 3,820 of the 20,763 eligible people, 39,089 of the total 57,932 were given land in Odisha, the letter said.
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