Kranti Panchayat Samiti of Jalpaiguri builds houses for homeless people

Jalpaiguri: The Central government is not providing funds for house construction under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the state, halting the project and leaving many homeless people in distress.

To address this, the Kranti Panchayat Samiti of Jalpaiguri district has set an example by constructing new houses for the homeless using the state’s Fifth Finance Commission funds. Two houses were built and will be handed over to two families.

The Kranti Panchayat Samiti has built a house for Difara Mahali, a disabled person near Dhantala Hat of Lataguri Panchayat and for Ajay Nagasia, a daily labourer in Majhabari area of Matiali.

The state government allocates its Fifth Finance Commission funds to the three-tier Panchayat system for various development plans, including roads, culverts, drinking water, street lights and ponds.

However, what has been done this time is exemplary for the state.

The house of daily labourer Ajay Nagasia in the Majhabari area of Matiyari in Lataguri village Panchayat was gutted last November, causing minor burns to some family members. Similarly, the house of Difara Mahali, a blind

person near Dhantala Hat of Kranti Gram Panchayat, was also destroyed by fire, leaving both families without shelter.

Sanjeev Sarkar, in-charge of the Engineering department of Kranti Panchayat Block, said: “The guidelines of the Fifth Finance Commission of the state government mention that houses can be built for the homeless with these funds.

Therefore, the matter was presented to Panchayat Samiti president Panchanan Roy, who agreed to build two houses. However, no other Panchayat Samiti in the state is known to have taken such an initiative with this fund before.”

Panchanan Roy, president of Kranti Panchayat Samiti, said: “Both houses include two bedrooms, a bathroom and drinking water facilities. Each house cost as much as Rs 3,43,000, funded by the Fifth Finance Commission.”

Ajay Nagasia, expressed his gratitude, saying: “After the fire, my family and I were left on the street, especially since the housing scheme is currently closed. I am happy that the Panchayat Samiti supported us.”