Erroneous documentation: many eligible families denied housing benefits under PMAY-G

When Radhakrishnan, a 49-year-old daily wage worker, was included as a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), he was elated. For the family of four, which includes two young girls aged 9 and 11, it meant deliverance from the leaking ramshackle structure at Kalluvathukkal. They were devastated when the allotment was denied citing technical reasons and later it was revealed that they were erroneously included in the Scheduled Caste category during the survey.

While he is one of the 64 names removed from the list due to the glitch, hundreds of low-income families across the State are facing the same fate due to inaccurate documentation.

“We live in extreme poor conditions and we had completed all other formalities and submitted the signed documents. We had to set aside money from our meagre income for preparing the plan and at the last stage, we were rejected. Though we had appealed to National Human Rights Commission, there has been no action so far,” says Radhakrishnan’s wife, Rasmi.

Sarojini, another beneficiary from Kozhikode, who was categorised Scheduled Tribe instead of Scheduled Caste had approached the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) demanding immediate intervention. As currently there is no provision to make changes in the Awaas+ data, the State was directed by the MoRD to sanction the beneficiaries if they are in the priority list. “But there has been no communication from the Commissionerate of Rural Development and the officials concerned at many districts are waiting for that. Though some have started works, we cannot move forward without the approval of the State-level authority,” says an official.

In many districts the total number of registrations under the PMAY-G are much lower than the target, yet beneficiaries included in wrong social category are finding it difficult to get housing benefits they are rightfully entitled to.

“In Kerala we couldn’t register even 25% of the MoRD target and that means we can provide housing to all eligible applicants. The current list was prepared around six years back and many of the applicants were allotted houses under the LIFE Mission while some others were provided houses by voluntary organisations. Some families had to sell their land for emergencies during his period and landless people cannot be beneficiaries of the PMAY-G,” says the official.

While all the families on the list who are living in poor conditions are eligible in all respects, the error made during the survey has brought the scheme proceedings to a standstill. “This clerical error has made their lives really difficult. As there will not be any direct involvement of the MoRD, we are all waiting for the directions from the State government,” says the official.