Widow fails to get roof under Awas Yojana

Tribune News Service
Patiala, December 8

Following the poor implementation of “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin” (PMAY-G), a 35-year-old widow of Narmana village in Nabha town sleeps in constant fear under a thatched roof of her house, which might collapse anytime. 

Once more, Paramjit Kaur, a dejected mother of two, was not able to find her name in the list of beneficiaries of the PMAY-G.

In effect, three family members are compelled to live in just one room as the roof of one of the other two rooms of the semi-kutcha house collapsed in June this year.

“I have been running from pillar to post since my husband died in January 2017. I requested the BDPO over a dozen time, but to no avail. I don’t know who else is qualified for the said scheme if people like us are living in a ‘kachha’ house,” said Paramjit Kaur, a daily wage labourer.

It is pertinent to mention here that former Additional Deputy Commissioner marked Paramjit Kaur’s application to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) for inclusion of her name in the list, but still she could not find it this time too.

“As per the rule, names of the beneficiaries should be recommended by the gram sabha, but it has been seen that the BDPO decides names of those, who are close to them. Like Paramjit Kaur, there are many other people, who should get benefit of this scheme,” said Rajveer Singh, a villager.

“If anyone deserves to benefit from the PMAY-G, then it is her. This time I had gone to the BDPO office to fill her form. Once again, her name was not in the list,” said Laal Singh, former sarpanch.

“We live in constant fear that the roof of our house can fall anytime. My mother has met all officials, but still the work has not been done. Moreover, she (my mother) is not getting her widow pension,” said Jagraj Singh, son of Paramjit Kaur.

However, Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said, “Ask her to meet me in the office on Monday. I will take up her application.”

The scheme

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) is a social welfare flagship programme of the Central government launched to provide housing to the rural poor in India. The broad purpose of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the weakest sections of society to help them upgrade or construct a house of reasonable quality for living. The government’s vision is to replace all temporary (kutcha) houses in villages of India.