West Bengal’s housing scheme to be more flexible than PMAY

KOLKATA: Bengal govt's own rural housing scheme, which will grant eligible persons Rs 1.2 lakh in three tranches — a counter to Centre's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme — will make sure it covers a whole lot of citizens who have been rendered ineligible for the central grant because of Centre's strict eligibility criteria.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee discussed this issue in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, convened primarily to discuss the fallout of Cyclone Dana. Also present were panchayat minister Pradip Majumdar and agriculture minister Shobhandeb Chatterjee. Sources close to the developments said the scheme would not only include two-wheeler owners and those whose homes were partly made of concrete — these categories are ineligible for PMAY — but also fast-track applications from elderly citizens, people with disabilities, women-headed households and people whose homes suffered damage during natural disasters, including Cyclone Dana.
State govt is expected to roll out the scheme by Dec-end to an estimated 12 lakh citizens, the sources indicated. Beneficiaries would include those who applied for PMAY funds but have not received the grant.
Bengal govt and Centre have been in a deadlock over the non-release of PMAY funds in the state. While Centre alleges a lack of background checks in applications, Bengal has questioned Centre's intent, alleging it has been stalling funds for 11.3 lakh beneficiaries. The sources indicated that Bengal govt had decided to release funds from its own resources for those who failed to procure the PMAY grant, like it has been doing with NREGS beneficiaries.
After the CM's meeting, panchayat secretary P Ulganathan held a separate meeting with district officials apprising them about the rules. Sources said it was decided that the grants could cover both reconstruction of damaged houses and for building new units. Technical support will be provided to ensure the houses have adequate disaster-resistant features. Panchayat bodies would have to set up help desks to assist beneficiaries with documentation and technicalities.
The new norms would also include special provisions for residents in coastal areas and flood-prone zones. Local panchayats are expected to play a crucial role in identifying genuine beneficiaries and facilitating the application process. BDOs have been directed to conduct regular field visits to assess the ground situation while selecting beneficiaries.
State govt also plans to integrate the housing scheme with other welfare programmes to provide comprehensive support to affected families. Panchayats and police would be involved in the monitoring process to ensure transparency and timely completion of homes. Govt will also set up a grievance redress mechanism to address complaints and concerns promptly, an official said.
The focus of the CM's meeting was to streamline norms to provide housing assistance to victims of recent natural calamities, an official said. During the meeting, she reviewed damage caused by Dana and recent floods, which left many families homeless across several districts. She also asked Majumdar and Chatterjee to visit the districts to assess the extent of the damage caused to crops and houses by the cyclone. According to a primary assessment, around 10 lakh farmers have been affected by Cyclone Dana.