Why houses for rural poor not built, HC questions state

Chandigarh : A Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Punjab to explain the non-construction of houses for the rural poor under a social welfare flagship programme despite the sanctioning of funds.
About six months ago, the court had initiated suo motu proceedings for preventing women from committing suicide. As the hearing resumed, amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) Reeta Kohli told Justice Ritu Bahri’s Bench that a company had given a rough estimate for the construction of prefabricated houses measuring 12 ft by 12 ft each for the beneficiaries. But the guidelines under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana — Gramin made it clear that the minimum size of a house was required to be 25 square metres.
Justice Bahri asked Kohli to inform Mohali ADC (Development) Sanjiv Garg the estimated cost of two houses measuring 25 square metres, along with a toilet each. The state counsel was also asked to inform the court when the payment would be released.
“The total amount sanctioned for financial year 2017-18 is Rs 387.93 crore. The respondent state will explain why even one model house has not been made till date,” Justice Bahri said.
Garg was also directed to monitor the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana in Mohali district, especially Seonk village, before informing the court about 42 families staying there for the past 22 years.
Justice Bahri added that the shamlat land of the gram panchayat could be earmarked for them for constructing prefabricated houses. “It is made clear that the land will remain as shamlat for all times to come and ownership thereof will remain the same…”
The Judge also directed the Punjab State Legal Services Authority to inform all District Legal Services Authority secretaries in Punjab to implement the scheme through its paralegals. Accepting the verbal request made by senior advocate Chetan Mittal, the ministries of Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health & Family Welfare and Education, through its secretaries, were impleaded as parties to the petition.