Kolkata: The Panchayats and Rural Development (P &RD) department’s latest stock-taking report regarding the construction of houses under Awas Yojana revealed slow progress in several districts and less number of visits for supervising house construction work.
The top brass of the department has instructed the district administration to take suitable measures for speeding up work in districts lagging. The report till February 25 shows that construction has started for 280215 houses in 21 districts across the state. About 50443 houses have been constructed till lintel level.
Around 12 lakh beneficiaries, including 1 lakh new ones, were identified through complaints at ‘Sarasari Mukhyomantri’. After a survey of the damaged houses they received Rs 60,000 as the first instalment under the scheme According to the report, construction of 32980 houses is yet to start. This accounts for 10.5 per cent of the total target of 12 lakh for 2024-25.
Murshidabad, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Birbhum, Jhargram, Purulia and Malda showed slow progress while Jalpaiguri, Howrah and East Burdwan made good progress with the construction start pending being less than 5 per cent.
In field visits for checking the work progress, the total number is 313105. South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas and Murshidabad saw poor results while Jhargram, East Burdwan and Nadia witnessed maximum field visits. The state will be paying another Rs 60,000 each to these beneficiaries as a second instalment and the total expenditure will be to the tune of Rs 14773 crore. Since funds are provided entirely by the state, the scheme was renamed ‘Banglar Bari’ by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The state has prepared a list of 28 lakh eligible beneficiaries who would receive benefits under the scheme.
The funds for 12 lakh were disbursed and the rest 16 lakh will also receive their share by January 2026.