State relaxes norms for migrant workers in verification process

Kolkata: The state government has relaxed the norm of migrant workers having to be physically present during the field verification process, relating to disbursement of the first installment of funds for beneficiaries under Bangla Awas Yojana scheme, which began on October 21 and will continue till end of this month.

The Panchayat and Rural Development (P &RD) department will offer the first installment for construction of houses even if the worker concerned is absent during the verification process. Presence of any one family member will suffice. However, the physical appearance of the worker will be mandatory during the release of the second installment of funds for the project.

“It is not uncommon that a migrant worker is elsewhere because of his/her nature of work .

In this backdrop, his absence will not be a deterrent for disbursal of funds for the first phase of Bangla Awas Yojana,” said a P&RD department official. Officials executing field surveys came across a number of migrant workers who are elsewhere due to work. When brought to the attention of Chief Minister Mamara Banerjee, she directed that presence of a family member will suffice.

However, such a relaxation will not apply to beneficiaries who are not migrant workers. Their physical presence for identification is mandatory since their photo along with their present house needs to be uploaded in the portal for geo tagging exercise.

During the first installment, the state is supposed to release Rs 60,000 which is slated to start from December. However, the physical presence of the migrant worker will be mandatory for getting the fund of Rs 40,000 during the second phase.

“We have widely circulated this matter at the district level so that there is no confusion with the field level survey for identification of the beneficiaries,” a Nabanna official said.

Funds for beneficiaries of Bangla Awas Yojana will be disbursed in three installments – Rs 60,000 in the first, Rs 40,000 in the second and Rs 20,000 in the third.