Unable to complete work under PMAY scheme unless funds are cleared: Bengal to Centre

Kolkata: The deadline to complete the construction of 11 lakh houses under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme in West Bengal will not be met unless the pending Central dues on this count are cleared, the state government has communicated to the Union ministry of rural development.

The state government has communicated this to the Union government in a reply to a recent 493-page query by the latter seeking clarifications about the utilization of funds under the PMAY scheme in the state.

In the letter, the Union ministry also made it clear that in absence of proper clarification on this count further Central funds under this scheme will not be released.

In its reply, according to sources from the state panchayat affairs and rural development department, the state government has clarified that it has already provided the Union government with necessary explanations on fund utilization under the scheme.

In the reply it has also been communicated to the Union government that the state government has kept its share of expenditure of Rs 4,800 crore under the scheme and is already to spend the same on this count as soon as the state gets the Central share Rs 13,000 crore on this count.

Two field inspection teams from the Union Ministry of Rural Development have already conducted an enquiry on this count in East Midnapore and Malda districts.

Another five field inspection teams from the same Ministry are scheduled to visit the state and review the situation in 10 districts.