Beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Bhikangaon are a worried lot as ever since the announcement of lockdown they are forced to live in under temporary tarpaulin roofs. They are worried if they will have proper shelter before the onset of monsoon.
The beneficiaries had started dismantling their kuccha houses to build pucca houses under the PMAY scheme. Nut, due to the lockdown the construction work of several such houses has come to a halt. For now, the beneficiaries have covered their ceilings with tarpaulin but are concerned as to how long will this makeshift arrangement last.
Around 754 houses were approved in January 2020 under the scheme. For the purpose of construction, an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh was to be deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts. Out of which, Rs 60,000 has been deposited in the accounts of 539 beneficiaries until February. When the lockdown was announced, these people were left with no money to finish the pending work.
Beneficiary Basubai said that her husband passed away a year ago. She now was responsible for the upbringing of her 18 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. Basubai was planning to get her daughter married after the getting her cemented house constructed. The work had begun and labourers started dismantling their kaccha house. The work stopped after the announcement of the complete national lockdown. The family is now covering their heads with a tarpaulin cover. She said that she does not have money to rent a house.
Other beneficiaries are also facing the same situation. In-charge CMO Manoj Gangrade said that they have informed the government. The release of rest of the amount now depends upon the government.
