The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is likely to remain in a state of limbo in Bengal as central teams, which recently visited the state to assess the actions the Mamata Banerjee government took on reports of past anomalies, have reportedly submitted unfavourable reports.

Around 11.38 lakh dwelling units for beneficiaries — finalised by the state government based on guidelines provided by the Centre — were to be built under the scheme in 2022-23 in Bengal. The Centre had allotted Rs 8,400 crore under the scheme.

“Before the release of the funds, several central teams had visited Murshidabad, North and South 24 Parganas, Jalpaiguri and East Midnapore in the first week of April to check whether the state government took proper action on reports of past anomalies in the usage of funds under the scheme," said a senior state government official.

"We have come to know that the (central) teams did not submit a favourable report. This means another indefinite pause on funds under the scheme," said the official.

The Centre did not release funds under the scheme to Bengal in the last financial year, citing complaints on the list of beneficiaries drawn up after carrying out a four-stage verification process.

“The state had given necessary documents and claimed that the list was foolproof.... Nabanna was expecting funds in the early months of the 2023-24 financial year. Now, as the central teams have started raising questions again, it appears there is no possibility of an immediate release of funds," said a source.

Sources said that the complaints of anomalies were mainly four types.

First, funds were released but houses were not built in previous financial years.

Second, houses were built without following guidelines.

Third, the PMAY logo was missing from most of the houses built with central funds.

Fourth, several beneficiaries had to allegedly give cut money to get funds.

“The Centre had asked the state to take action based on these complaints and send action-taken reports to the Centre,” said a source.

Though the state sent action-taken reports, central teams apparently found that the state did not lodge complaints against the accused.

“The state did draw the logo of the scheme in the houses where these were missing. But it did not lodge formal police complaints in cases where funds were misappropriated or villagers were deprived,” said a source.

Panchayat department officials said that enough measures had been initiated according to the Centre's instructions and no one in Delhi raised questions about the state’s action-taken reports earlier.

“If the Centre has further questions, we will send detailed replies with all the required documents and evidence. But funds should be released soon," said a bureaucrat.