The Achik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) has alleged irregularities in selection of beneficiaries to avail the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY) scheme in Betasing block under South West Garo Hills district.
According to AHAM, 19 villages under Betasing C&RD block, that were listed as priority beneficiaries to avail the housing scheme as per the ground survey conducted by Geotech Company in 2018, were left out.
The organisation said that in a non-Garo Ishakuri village, 100 per cent beneficiaries were selected to avail the scheme, whereas only one household per village was selected in the Garo residing villages.
“We feel that certain vested individuals have been acting as agents against the Garo community to deny them of their rights as beneficiaries,” AHAM South West district zone general secretary Wester G Sangma said.
The organisation has also lodged a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner on the matter and demanded scrapping of the present list of PMAY beneficiaries to ensure social justice by equal distribution of the schemes per village.
AHAM also said that the district administration should conduct an enquiry into the matter.
Sangma further said the issue was also raised with block authorities and several discussions were held but to no avail. He said that the Block Development Officer had stated that the selection was done on data available, while the data entry operator claimed that the selection was made by an app.
“If this was the case, if at all probable, then the app has to be rectified as the selection of beneficiary for the poor was given to the people with more financial and material possessions. The selection of beneficiaries also made sure that Garos are deprived of the schemes meant for the poor and the needy,” he added.
