PMAY: Instead of funds, Centre sends another team to Bengal again

MP  |  14 Jan 2023 |  Kolkata: At a time when the Bengal government is yet to receive funds from the Centre for setting up around 11.36 lakh houses under PM Awas Yojana despite assurances from the Ministry of Rural Development that the money would be allotted by the end of December last year, a decision taken by the Narendra Modi government to send five more teams for field inspection has led to fresh political bickering with the ruling Trinamool Congress calling the move ‘politically motivated’. 

Trinamool Congress alleged that the Centre is trying to isolate Bengal by sending Central inspection teams on repeated occasions without releasing funds for housing schemes and rural jobs under the MGNREGA. 

The ruling party in the state also alleged that the Central government is acting at the behest of opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari as he had asserted a few days ago that more teams would be sent. 

The Ministry of Rural Development on Wednesday wrote to the state Panchayat Secretary with an urge to inquire into the complaints of irregularities in the implementation of the PM Awas Yojana. 

The Centre had sent a letter to the state Panchayats department on November 24 stating that the Ministry of Rural Development approved the setting of 11.36 lakh houses for which Rs 8,200 crore was approved as 60 percent of the total project cost. 

Following this, the state government arranged Rs 4,800 crore as its 40 per cent share of the total cost. It would cost around Rs 13,000 crore for implementing the project. 

The Bengal government has fulfilled all the parameters set by the Centre in this regard. The Centre was supposed to provide funds to the state by the end of December. 

Earlier in a letter, the Centre had clearly stated that the final list of the beneficiaries should be uploaded on the Central government portal by December 31, failing which, the quota might go to other states. The state government managed to do all the necessary formalities on time and also submitted a blueprint for the construction of all the houses by March 31. 

As the Centre has not yet provided funds, the Bengal government is also unable to release money for the housing project. Each house would cost around Rs 1,20,000 while around 11,36,488 houses will be set up in this phase. In another development, a total of five Central inspection teams from the Union Ministry of Rural Development will visit the state to supervise the allotment of houses under the PMAY. 

It will be the second round of field inspection by the Central teams. Two teams have already conducted similar inspections in East Midnapore and Malda districts last week. 

The Centre has already communicated to the state Secretariat about this second round of field inspection. Each Central team will visit two districts and a total of 10 districts are therefore expected to be covered during the second phase, including Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Murshidabad, Nadia, West Midnapore, East Burdwan, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore and Malda. 

The Union ministry has urged the state government to ensure logistic support to the Central teams. Meanwhile, a Central team is also expected to visit the state to supervise the distribution of midday meals among children in schools. 

The Central team may hold meetings with their counterparts from the state and take a stock as to how the project has been working. 

It has already been decided that in addition to the existing midday meal menu of rice, potato, dal, soybean, vegetables and eggs, the state government will now introduce chicken and seasonal fruits. 

Additional diets will be served in the midday meals for the next 16 weeks from January 23 as Rs 371 crore has been allotted for the same. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/pmay-instead-of-funds-centre-sends-another-team-to-bengal-again-505353