‘Funds likely to reach all 12 lakh beneficiaries before Christmas’

Kolkata: The Panchayats and Rural Development (P &RD) department is hopeful that the funds of the first installment for Awas Yojana will reach the bank account of all the 12 lakh beneficiaries before Christmas Day.

“Eight lakh beneficiaries in the state have already received their funds (till Saturday). A message about money being credited to their bank accounts is being sent to the respective mobile phones of the beneficiaries. So far there have been no complaints,” said Pradip Majumder, state P & RD minister.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 17 launched the disbursal of Awas Yojana (rural) funds by handing over sanction letters as a token to 22 beneficiaries at Nabanna Sabhaghar.

Around 12 lakh beneficiaries, including 1 lakh new ones, were identified through complaints at ‘Sarasari Mukhyomantri’ and survey of damaged houses in natural calamity. They will receive Rs 60,000 as first installment under the scheme.

Banerjee had promised to provide funds entirely from the state exchequer with Rs 24,000 crore dues from the Centre. As the funds were being provided entirely by state, the scheme was renamed ‘Banglar Bari’.

She added that another Rs 60,000 will be paid as second installment. The total expenditure of the state will be to the tune of Rs 14,773 crore.

The state had prepared a list of 28 lakh eligible beneficiaries under the scheme. The funds for 12 lakh is expected to be disbursed before Christmas and the rest 16 lakh will also receive their share by January 2026.

Among these 16 lakh, 8 lakh will receive funds in May-June 2025 and the rest by December-January.