Why benefits not given to beneficiaries of housing scheme, asks BJP councillor

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, June 25

BJP councillor Sushil Kumar from Ward No. 2 held a press conference here today and raised a question that why no benefits had been given to beneficiaries who had applied under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the scheme that was implemented in 2015 by the Central Government, despite a grant was released by the Centre.

The councillor highlighted that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the grant had been sanctioned for as many as 1,498 beneficiaries. In 2017-18, the first instalment of Rs 1.6 crore was given to the Municipal Corporation.

He said Jalandhar was to get a total of Rs 4.80 crore.

“The state has got Rs 38 crore as its first instalment, despite that why the Municipal Corporation did not put out public notices if they had received the grant to apprise them of the fact. Also, why they had not got it printed in newspapers,” he asked.

Kumar said it was done as elections were there, hence the beneficiaries were not benefited for the Congress-led state government’s political motives.

Kumar also raised another concern that already the verification had been done twice under the scheme. Hence, why the corporation wants the verification to be done again.

He said besides, the government had closed 700 of the 1,212 sewa kendras that were being run in the state. And in Jalandhar, of the 96, only 32 are working.

The councillor said the government should have instead find out ways to keep them functioning.

“Residents are facing harassment due to closure of the kendras. The state government must pay attention to the issue,” he said.

Sr Dy Mayor hands over memo to Smart City CEO

Sr Deputy Mayor Surinder Kaur today met Smart City CEO Jitendra Jorwal and demanded that some of the areas of her wards must get included under the Storm Water Sewer project under Smart City.

Kaur said during rain, waterlogging was witnessed from Shri Guru Ravidas Chowk to the Kala Sanghian road, Shri Guru Ravidas Chowk to Ambedkar Park to Chaudhary Ram Asra Chowk till Kot Mohalla. Hence, the issue should be resolved in these areas.