The Mamata Banerjee government on Wednesday made it clear that it would not allow anybody to derail the process to verify the bona fides of the rural housing scheme’s applicants by sending a clear directive to district magistrates that strict action would be taken against all those who would try to prevent teams which were carrying out the survey.

During a video conference with district magistrates, chief secretary H. K. Dwivedi told the DMs that anganwadi and Asha workers, who were carrying out the primary survey, should be given proper security and stern action should be taken against those trying to prevent them from performing their duties.

The instruction came a day after anganwadi and Asha workers agitated in some districts, alleging that they were being harassed while conducting field surveys to check the eligibility of the prospective beneficiaries of the PMAY scheme.

The instruction from the chief secretary is significant as it gives a clear signal that the government is firm on carrying out the verification of 11 lakh PMAY applicants, who will be given Rs 1.20 lakh each in the ongoing financial year for the construction of dwelling units in rural areas.

Sources said the state government was “indeed serious” about carrying out the eligibility verification of all beneficiaries to avoid any kind of controversies.

“The Centre had put the release of funds under the rural housing scheme on hold for eight months on the pretext that the name of the scheme was changed in the state. Now, the state government may face further questions if any ineligible people get the dwelling units under the scheme. This is why the state government is very serious about the verification of the beneficiaries,” said a senior government official.

Bengal is supposed to get Rs 36,000 crore to construct 50 lakh households for the rural poor by 2025.

“This is why the state wants to ensure that no question is raised over the construction of 11 lakh houses in the ongoing financial year,” said a source.

A DM, who attended the video conference, said the anganwadi and the Asha workers had been asked to carry out the survey properly.

“They have been told that the state has done enough for them and now they should complete the survey without any bias. I expect the situation to come under control within a few days,” said the DM.