Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna Gramin (PMAY–G) is an instant hit in Palamu’s Paton block. Here, out of 1070 Awas under this scheme 640 are complete so far and beneficiaries are living in their new homes.
Pushpa Devi and Sanjay Chowdhury were the first couple in Paton block to have their own pucca house. She moved in this PMAY-G house on May 24. Pushpa Devi is a lady of foresight. She built staircase in this house when under this Yojna there is no staircase for upper floor or call roof but this woman built it by pooling in her own money.
Sunita Devi wife of Bheem Manjhi has also spent her Rs 50,000 on her house under this scheme. Sarfuddin Ansari, Israel Khalifa and many other Muslims have built their houses under this scheme with their own modifications and comfort.
Beneficiaries are using good quality brick and cement. Somnath Baneerjee BDO Paton is well appreciated by the people of this block as anyone who comes in Paton’s villages is sure to find a dozen houses coming up under this scheme.
Babu lal Singh is building his house on 6 pillars where as the design of the house under this scheme has no provision for pillars to be raised as it is expensive but Babu lal Singh wants his house to last for two more generations. He said he will bear the cost of these pillars as one Awas under this Yojna is worth 1.30 lakh only. A beneficiary of this house is to work 90 days to get wages under MGNREGA and its share is Rs 15, 960 only.
A para teacher Srikant Santosh who is a highly dedicated promoter of such houses and his elected wife Suman Gupta said there is a resident Krishan Mohan Updadhaya who is not willing to have this house as he feels he has four daughters and this asset will be a bone of contention later on.
Suman Gupta said, “We try our best to weed out middle men and this has incurred me a lot of intimidation from the vested interests also who want to have a free run.”
Sources said there are four such cases where the beneficiaries have died after receiving the first installment of Rs 26,000 . Foundation has been completed of the houses to come up of these four. Sources said block officials will now have to impress bankers to create account in the name of the wives of the deceased. In one case husband and wife both have died.
Jan Dhan account holders of this Yojna are facing more problems. Jan Dhan sanctions transaction ( credit Debit) worth Rs 50,000 in one financial year. Here the funding is 1,49, 960.
It can not be credited in beneficiaries Jan Dhan account in one FY as the cap is of Rs 50,000 only.
Sources said 18 beneficiaries are facing this hardship. Sushant Gaurav DDC Palamu said, “We are trying to solve this issue in consultation with bankers to start a convergent account of the beneficiaries to escape the cap of Rs 50,000 as the third installment of this Yojna is a bulky Rs 52,000 and it cannot go to Jan Dhan for reason of the cap of 50,000.”