Last week, News18 unearthed the ground reality of West Bengal’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) – those living in bungalows making it to the list of those eligible for houses under the scheme, essentially for the homeless.
The report highlighted how the government was now visiting each district, to strike down at least 10-15% names, which made it to the list through the “back door”. In some districts, the number was at 35%. Political temperatures, too, are high on this, with those going for verification being attacked in some places.
LAST WEEK’s REPORT | Exclusive | House That Possible? Those Living in Such Homes on PMAY List, WB Begins Verification Drive
For a closer look, News18 visited East Medinipur around villages of Haldi.
Here’s what we found.
HOUSE NO. 1
Allottee: Subhra Santra
District: Purba Medinipur, Block: Haldia, Village: Chaulkhola, GP: Debhog
News18 Observation: As News18 reached this bungalow, Santra, whose name was deleted from the list, stepped out. Before we could ask anything, she said, “This house belongs to my father-in-law. We have a small hut [which is also a pucca house]. Then, everyone was getting their names in PMAY, so we also approached the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Fifteen days ago, some people clicked photos of the house. We don’t know whether our name has been struck out or not.”
Conclusion: Santra was one of the many who got her name on the list through the “back door” by showing another hut on the same plot.
HOUSE NO. 2
Allottee: Ratan Chandra Das
District: East Medinipur, Block: Haldia, Village: Baskhana Jalpai, GP: Barittarhingly
News18 Observation: As News18 reached Das’s house, local villagers came in. Women from the crowd told News18: “They have got their name on the list. They have a sweets shop and home. This is politics. The poor become poorer and rich richer.”
As News18 knocked the door, Gita Das came out and said, “This house belongs to my husband’s brother. We don’t know anything about PMAY.”
As the news of our arrival reached Das, he came home on a bike. Those owning a bike are not eligible under the scheme.
Das said: “We have a sweets shop, but now things are bad. This is my brother’s house. I have land and I need a house. I told the pradhan about it.”
HOUSE NO. 3
Allottee: Nitai Paik
District: East Medinipur, GP: Saoraberia Jalpai 1, Village: Rajnagar
News18 observation: Paik is almost deaf. His daughter-in-law Pratima Paik spoke to News18. “We had problems with my father-in-law. This house is his. So we approached our pradhan. What’s the harm in it?”
Conclusion: The parameter of getting allotment was not the requirement of beneficiaries, but eligibility. In East Medinipur alone, more than 40% names have now been deleted.
GOVT SPEAK
Kunal Ghosh, General Secretary, TMC, said, “Adhikary Raj was going on here. Now, our Government is trying to clean the records. What Suvendhu says or the BJP says does not matter. The Government is deleting fake names.”
Adhikary, Opposition leader from the BJP, said: “There are 17 parameters for PMAY. If you see that people who are getting money have big houses or other things, send the list to us. We will make sure that they give back the money.”
Sources in the administration say money will be disbursed till December 31.
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