TMC leaders return housing scheme benefits after building huge homes, citing ineligibility

Two Trinamool Congress leaders from Bankura, Nimai Majhi and Anand Majhi, have requested to have their names removed from the West Bengal government's housing scheme. The two brothers were initially listed as beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a scheme aimed at providing affordable housing to underprivileged families. However, they voluntarily withdrew their names from the list after constructing a new, permanent two-story home. The family had previously qualified for the scheme when they lived in a semi-pucca (semi-permanent) house, but their new residence made them ineligible for the benefits.

The Majhi brothers live in Paanpukur Majhi Para in the Balsi 2 Gram Panchayat area of Patrasayer Block in Bankura. Nimai Majhi is the vice president of the local Trinamool unit, and Anand Majhi is a member of the regional core committee. The two brothers submitted a written request to the local Block Development Officer (BDO) asking for their names to be removed from the housing scheme list, citing the construction of their new permanent house. They stated that they no longer needed the housing benefits due to their upgraded living conditions.

The housing scheme, which aims to assist low-income families, conducts periodic surveys to assess eligibility. When the original survey was conducted five years ago, the Majhi family was living in a semi-pucca house and qualified for the scheme. Since then, the family has built a pucca (permanent) home, which led to their request to remove their names from the list.

Panchayat head Buddhadeb Pal commented on the brothers' decision, stating that by returning the housing benefits, they were allowing a more deserving family to benefit from the scheme. Pal's statement acknowledged the leaders' actions as an example of ensuring that housing assistance reaches those in greater need.

The BJP, however, has raised concerns about the timing of the decision and the construction of the new house. BJP spokesperson Debpriyo Biswas questioned how the family could have built such a large home in just five years, suggesting that the circumstances should be investigated. The BJP has also speculated that the brothers' decision to withdraw from the scheme may have been influenced by public opinion in the current political climate. This situation has sparked discussions on the transparency of government housing schemes and the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries.