Highlighting how difficult it is for a common man to get benefits of development schemes, a woman died without a shelter in Giridih despite being allotted a house under Indria Awaas Yojna three years ago.
Bhukhli Khatoon (56) a resident of Badgunda village, under Taratand police station of Gandey Block of Giridih took her last breath recently. She was allotted a house under Indria Awaas Yojna (IAY) in 2011-12 by the Government.
The fund for the house was credited to her bank account (2012) but she failed to get it as a middleman took her passbook and withdrew all money from the bank.
Due to dominance of middlemen and other reasons many others across the State face similar problems, while several people are still struggling to get their homes after getting allotments under IAY. Despite the Government’s sturdy initiatives, poor villagers are not getting the benefits of the Government sponsored schemes.
“The indifference of the district administration is giving a boost to the middlemen, who are taking huge cuts from the poor,” said Asraf Ansari a local resident and social worker.
Earlier, we filed many complaints and letters were given to the BDO Kapil Kumar and Deputy Commissioner Uma Shankar Singh, he said adding, “a complaint was also sent on DC’s Whatsapp chat group but all went in vain.”
The villagers have also sent a complaint copy to the CM of and waiting for justice, said a local resident.
There are many other beneficiaries in the Badgunda panchyat who are allotted houses under IAY in the financial year 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and in 2013-14. Their houses are still incomplete as they are victimised by the middlemen.
Basanti Devi wife of Chhoto Singh, Rasmani Devi w/o Giru Bhokta, lalita Devi w/o Bachhu Singh allotted the Indria Awaas two and a half years ago, funds were transferred to their bank accounts, but they yet to construct their houses. “To construct our houses Naseem (a contractor) took our bank’s passbook and withdraws all amounts. later he denied constructing our houses. We are helpless, no body is ready to hear us,” lalita said.
Earlier on 20 June 2015, during an talk with the Pioneer Bhukhli had said, “One middleman Naseem who is a resident of same village came to her (in the year 2012) and said he will construct her house. He took my bank passbook and later withdrew all money.”
“Now three years have passed and I am yet to get my house. Three months earlier when we villagers made pressure on Naseem to construct the house, then he came and dug foundation only. I am ill and got very weak now. I will not survive till long,” she had said.
Hundreds of houses under IAY are still incomplete while several others crumbled. According to the norms the construction should be completed within six months of the work being allotted, officials informed.