Diplomat Desk
Udhampur :DD, Senior leader Pawan Khajuria, who had Contested Assembly election as an independent candidate from Udhampur East constituency of Udhampur District addressed an Press Conference here in Udhampur.
Khajuria pointed out major problems in availing the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana), specifically with regard to documentation. He explained that the main condition of a BPL ration card has turned into a big hurdle. Whereas 25-30 years ago, one ration card was enough for families of 6-7 members, these families have increased to 25-30 members now, and they need individual ration cards. But when individuals try to apply for new BPL ration cards, they find the website of the concerned department always unavailable.
The leader also spoke about the linked issue of income certificates, which cannot be procured in the absence of a BPL ration card. The applicants also have great difficulty in procuring their Girdawari copies (land records). He underlined that people bring these issues to his attention during his visitations to different villages, and many are compelled to go for a bribe or simply abandon the process altogether.
Khajuria condemned the intricate bureaucratic process, asking why the government has made it so difficult if it really wants to give housing to the needy. He pointed out that although the central government has given hope through the housing scheme, its implementation has been filled with unnecessary complexity. Even though there has been widespread publicity regarding schemes for commoners, he opined that adequate guidelines for concerned department officials appear to be missing.He suggested putting up camps across various villages for the convenience of BPL families and lifting the existing freeze on the distribution of ration cards to ensure homeless citizens can avail the housing scheme intended for them.DD
