-By Sameer Ahmad Bhat
Anantnag (NVI): Gulzar Ahmad Magloo, son of Abdul Salam Magloo, a resident of Nowpora Salai Anantnag is still waiting to receive second installment from Block Development office Mattan after he received a first installment of Rs 20000 under Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) scheme in 2014.
Gulzar has made a two-room set with bathroom in 2014, under the scheme after he heard about the IAY and applied for the same in Block Development Office in Mattan Anantnag.
Magloo, working as a labourer, is living with his wife and five teenage children in two room set which he made at Nowpora Salai village in 2014 about 30 kms from main town Anantnag.
Five years have passed and Gulzar is still waiting to receive second installment from BDO office Mattan so that he can complete his under-construction two room set.
The elder son of Gulzar has left his studies after 6th class due to poverty and started working as labourer to help his family for income source.
“It was like a mountain of sorrow crashing over us. We couldn’t do anything except weep for days. My husband, having always been courageous, resolved to work day and night and earn enough for our kids. But the anxiety took its toll on him,” said Gulzar’s wife.
Three years ago, Gulzar was left paralysed in a tragic road accident. During that time his children were quite young, Gulzar’s wife (name withheld) told News Vibes of India.
According to Gulzar’s wife, Indira Awas Yojna (IAY), a centrally sponsored scheme has failed to end miseries of people in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district as the Government has failed to reach out to poor people in the district.
“Despite repeated pleas to the authorities concerned, nothing has changed on the ground level,” she said.
“Five years have passed, we are still waiting for the second installment, I along with many other families visited the concerned officials but of no use,” she added.
As BJP is working on its core agenda from last several years “SAB KA SATH SAB KA VIKAS” then why these 2,312 cases registered before their tenure have been left on god’s mercy, another local resident told News Vibes of India.
Meanwhile, Gulzar and his family still don’t know that the scheme was wound up in 2016. The then central government has converted this scheme into Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) and provides funds of Rs. 1,30,000 instead of 75,000 to BPL beneficiaries.
“The Government has left all the beneficiaries who have applied for this scheme in darkness,” said Gulzar’s wife.
The IAY scheme was launched in 1990’s and originally targeted to help poor homeless families to make concrete houses with 75000 aid.
Meanwhile, talking to “News Vibes of India” ACD Anantnag Mohammad Aslam said that at least 2,312 cases of this scheme is pending with a total amount of Rs 13 crore 93 lakh in Anantnag District.
“we have submitted a report to the Government of India and hope that it will take action,” Aslam added.
