The opposition strongly criticised the state government in the Assembly today over what it described as alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), a central government scheme, especially in regard to the alleged deprivation of people with disabilities and landless households from availing the scheme.
Minister of Community and Rural Development, Abu Taher Mondal, defended the selection criteria, stating that the scheme follows the framework for the implementation of PMAY-G. The eligibility parameters prioritise households with higher deprivation scores, including those with no adult member aged 16-59, female-headed households and landless families dependent on manual labour. He assured that people with disabilities (PwDs) fall under the priority category.
However, Dadenggre MLA Rupa Marak of the Trinamool Congress claimed that disabled individuals were excluded if they lacked a job card. Many PwDs were denied job cards, which subsequently disqualified them from PMAY-G benefits. Urging the government to address this issue, Marak called for increased awareness among Village Employment Councils (VECs). Mondal acknowledged the concern, stating that there might be a misunderstanding at the implementation level, which he assured would be looked into and rectified.
Nongthymmai MLA Charles Pyngrope, also of the TMC, sought clarity on the parameters used to determine deprivation scores and prioritisation. In response, Mondal explained that data from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 and the 2018 Awaas Plus survey are used for identifying eligible households. Selection is prioritised based on factors such as homelessness, presence of a kutcha house and compulsory inclusion criteria like destitution or belonging to primitive tribal groups.
Pyngrope further questioned the process of allotment when two families have similar deprivation scores. Mondal clarified that as per current guidelines, both would be included. However, when pressed on whether the Block Development Officer (BDO) would have discretion in the final decision, Mondal stated that the permanent waitlist, based on surveys, would determine allocation rather than individual discretion. He also noted that as of now, around 1.2 lakh houses have been surveyed and the process will continue until March 31.
Mylliem MLA Ronnie Lyngdoh of the Congress Party raised concerns over landless families, questioning why they were being denied housing benefits. Mondal responded that the scheme aims to provide houses to the houseless but if beneficiaries do not own land, funds cannot be disbursed. Lyngdoh also pointed out cases where names of selected beneficiaries were removed from the system without any explanation. Mondal clarified that exclusions are based on specific criteria such as ownership of a pucca house, motor vehicles, high-value Kisan Credit Cards, government employment, or exceeding the income threshold of Rs 15,000 per month.
Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) questioned whether having a job card was mandatory for PMAY-G eligibility, to which Mondal responded that while Aadhaar seeding is crucial, a job card is not a strict requirement. However, he admitted that in certain cases, the linkage with job cards might have led to confusion. Marbaniang also raised concerns about individuals being denied benefits because they reside in rented houses while owning a plot of land elsewhere. Mondal clarified that such individuals should apply based on their permanent residence and assured that necessary instructions would be passed to block-level authorities to prevent unwarranted exclusions.
