By Vishwapati
Patna: The Bihar government has issued notices to more than 1.5 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). These beneficiaries received funds from the government under the PM Awas Yojana but have yet to build permanent houses. This includes individuals who began construction but have not completed it.
Bihar Rural Development Minister, Shrawan Kumar, provided this information, stating that strict action will be taken against beneficiaries who fail to construct houses despite repeated reminders.
During a session in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Minister Kumar revealed that the department has filed certificate cases against 19,495 defaulters. These individuals had received all instalments of the PMAY-G funds in their bank accounts several months ago but have not commenced or completed the construction of their homes.
Additionally, white notices have been issued to 82,441 beneficiaries as a warning to avoid departmental action. Furthermore, red notices have been served to 67,733 PMAY-G beneficiaries, indicating that failure to complete construction despite repeated warnings will result in legal action.
The minister stated, “If beneficiaries do not comply even after receiving a red notice, a certificate case is filed against them. The department has already initiated certificate cases against over 19,000 beneficiaries.”
Under the PMAY-G scheme, impoverished families in rural areas are provided with pucca houses equipped with basic amenities. Beneficiaries in plain regions receive financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh, disbursed in three instalments directly into their bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). In hilly and inaccessible areas, such as the Himalayan and North-Eastern states, as well as Union Territories like Jammu and Kashmir, the assistance amount is ₹1.30 lakh. The Central Government contributes 60% of the scheme’s funds, while the remaining 40% is covered by state governments.
(The author, Vishwapati, is a senior journalist based in Patna. He may be contacted at vishwapati25@gmail.com)
