Awas Yojana & Bangla Shasya Bima: CM says beneficiaries be chosen with a humanitarian outlook

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday instructed that the beneficiaries for the Awas Yojana and crop insurance under Bangla Shasya Bima (BSB) should be determined with a humanitarian outlook and not based on stringent norms of the Central government.

“The Chief Minister made it clear in the meeting that we should not run any scheme in Bengal based on stringency of terms and conditions like the Central government. We would select beneficiaries with a humanitarian outlook and ensure that all farmers who suffered crop damage in inundation caused by DVC water release, or due to the latest Cyclone Dana must derive benefits of BSB,” said state Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.

Nabanna sources said that Banerjee mentioned that not a single penny is being received from the Centre under Awas Yojana.

The Chief Minister, who also took stock of the field survey work presently in progress to determine beneficiaries of Awas Yojana, issued similar directions in the presence of the state Panchayats and Rural Development minister, Pradip Majumdar, at a meeting at Nabanna.

Both Chattopadhyay and Majumdar were instructed to visit the affected districts and take stock of the work in progress associated with their respective departments.

According to the department, over 61.55 lakh farmers in the state have applied for BSB. The enrollment date for farmers under BSB has been extended till November 30.

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed that not a single farmer who suffered damage should be left out of the benefits of BSB. We are leaving no stone unturned for 100 per cent enrollment,” added Chattopadhyay.

According to Nabanna sources, last year Rs 637.39 crore was disbursed under BSB with the total beneficiaries being 15.79 lakh.