10 years on, man fails to secure roof
Kushal Kumar, a resident of Terhal panchayat (10 km from Palampur town), has been running from pillar to post to get financial aid for constructing a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for the last 10 years, but in vain. Due to red tape and official bottlenecks, Kumar could not get financial assistance till date.
He has also approached the local panchayat, MLA and the Block Development Officer (BDO) concerned, besides political leaders, on several occasions. Kumar, who falls under the below poverty line (BPL) category, qualifies all official norms for receiving the financial aid under the PMAY. But, the local panchayat never presented his case properly before the gram sabha, which recommends names for inclusion under the scheme.
Kumar and his wife, while talking to The Tribune, said the Panchrukhi Block Development Officer visited their house two years ago for spot inspection and assured them of recommending their case to the higher authorities for releasing funds under the housing scheme. Later, the BJP MLA also visited Kumar’s house during the last Assembly elections and assured him of all possible support, but to no avail.
Kumar and his wife also met Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal, who is also the Chief Parliamentary Secretary, but nothing was done to secure a roof for the family even after 1.5 years.
At present, Kumar, his wife and daughter are living in a kutcha house, which is on the verge of collapse. During the rainy season, a local resident had given the family shelter to avoid any mishap. Kumar said he spent many nights in the open after his shanty started leaking during the monsoon.
In the past two years, over 500 houses were sanctioned in the Panchrukhi block under the PMAY, but despite best efforts, Kumar’s name never figured in the list.
When the panchayat representatives and officers were questioned by The Tribune regarding the issue, they didn’t provide a satisfactory answer.
Kumar’s family is barely able to make ends meet and they are on the mercy of their neighbours, who provide food to them.
