Kolkata:
Tensions erupted in parts of West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district over the list of beneficiaries of the state’s housing scheme. The Trinamool Congress government has announced that it will build new homes after a dispute with the federal government over funding for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister Alapan Banerjee addressed the media on the issue at the Nabanna State Secretariat this evening.
The state has ordered reverification of housing scheme beneficiaries amid allegations of nepotism and corruption. To this end, the Secretariat has issued new guidelines.
The state government has decided to verify the data to reconsider the omitted names from the beneficiary list.
There was tension between the two factions of the Trinamool Congress in Gosaba-Bali area of South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.
A day earlier, locals and a section of Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest before the Sundarbans Development Minister, accusing him and local MLAs of corruption in the process of preparing the list of beneficiaries of the housing scheme.
Violent protests broke out in the area and several motorcycles were set on fire.
“As the central government has not provided any funds, the state is conducting a probe to provide a proper list of housing schemes to the Center,” Allappan Banerjee told reporters on Wednesday evening.
“There is a scheme where the central government will give 60 per cent and the state will give 40 per cent, but since the Center is not giving anything, the state is conducting a survey so that the state can provide Awas Yojana.”
Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said, “Now the BJP is trying its best to stop the work. They want to punish the people of Bengal. Seeing Mamata Banerjee working for the poor of Bengal, Indians The party tried to slander her.
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari retaliated, claiming the state government was preparing a “fake list” “to get some money”.