Alot (Ratlam district, Madhya Pradesh): Though monsoon is about to set in, the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri AwasYojana (PMAY) have still not received any instalment for past 6 months. As a result, they have stopped construction of houses midway.
“We have been visiting municipality office to receive instalment. But officials admonish us,” a beneficiary said wishing anonymity. Most beneficiaries demolished their huts after receiving first instalment under PMAY and began construction work.
A PMAY beneficiary Dwarkadheesh in ward number 8 told Free Press that he received Rs 32,500 as first instalment and demolished his old kutcha house. With the amount, he started construction. He is waiting for second instalment.
“I am not able to sleep at night as the rainy season is about to start. Where will I take my family in the rain? I took money on interest and have covered the house with a tin shed to protect construction material,” he added.
Another beneficiary of ward number 8, Rajesh Jagannath, said 292 houses are lying incomplete in the area. “Poor are forced to stay in rented houses as they have not received second instalment of PMAY. We followed the advice given by municipality and politicians and completed the construction of our houses by buying material on credit from the market. But doors, windows, electrical wiring work still remain to be done.
As doors are not installed, stray animals get inside the house. But the municipality is turning a deaf ear to our woes,” he added. When SDM Rajesh Shukla was contacted, he said that he would look into the matter soon.
