Baramulla: About a dozen families living in tin sheds in this north Kashmir village have alleged that some employees in the BDO office are demanding bribe to provide them housing scheme PMGAY, previously IAY, to construct the houses.
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), previously Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), is a social welfare flagship programme, created by the Government of India, to provide housing for the rural poor in India.
Several families at Khargam village of Pattan block in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district said they are awaiting the scheme to reconstruct the houses that were damaged during 2014 floods.
Talking to INS, the families said they have several times approached the district administration and the block development officer (BDO) for construction of “small houses” under the GoI housing scheme but were ignored every time.
“They never paid attention towards our legitimate demands. The administration is forcing us to live in tin sheds. We face immense hardships,” they said.
The families alleged that some employees in the BDO department demand money for granting of funds. “We are poor people and earn our livelihood by toiling hard. Reality is that we are poor people, so nobody listens to our genuine grievances; no one is interested in helping us.”
“If the Government of India provides schemes for poor people, then why are we denied such benefits? This once again proves that a poor man is valueless.”
With tears rolling down her face, Saja Begum, in her sixties, said during the times of elections, every politician visits them and assures of the “new beginning”, but “once the polls are over, they kick us”.
Meanwhile, the BDO Showkat Ahmad told INS that the department had submitted a list (of deserving families) to higher authorities. “We hope that within a month, these families receive the scheme benefits,” he said.
On the allegations that some employees are demanding bribe, BDO termed it “baseless”. “I had already informed these families to come to my office to identify the employee(s) who demand money. Strict action as per law will be taken against them if found guilty.”
