Poor Kangra villager sanctioned house

r Correspondent

Palampur, September 28

Aman Kumar (53), a hearing and speech impaired resident of Gummer village of Kangra district, finally got a house sanctioned under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana (MMAY) today. The Tribune has highlighted the plight of Aman in these columns yesterday.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur took cognizance of the news item appeared under the headline “10 years on, poor villager awaits pucca house” and asked Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal to look into the matter and report to his office immediately.

On the basis of the report submitted by the DC’s office, the government sanctioned a house to Aman under the scheme and also released Rs 1.5 lakh to the Block Development Officer, Dehra Gopipur, who is the executing agency under the MMAY.

Nipun Jindal also confirmed it to The Tribune and also provided a copy of the sanction letter. At present, Aman is residing in a mud house which can collapse anytime. He had moving from pillar to post for the past 10 years to get a house under the government housing scheme meant for the poor.

Aman’s wife Veena Devi and his son Ayush Kumar are also hearing and speech impaired. They have no no source of income except the disability pension of Rs 1,500 per month. Aman was full of joy when the reporter provided him a copy of the sanction letter through village panchayat issued by the DC.