West Bengal Government has launched WB Bangla Awas Yojana 2024 as its own housing scheme. বাংলা আবাস যোজনা is an initiative of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led state government. In this rural housing scheme, the state govt. provides free of cost houses to poor people. Banglar Awas Yojana aims to ensure that each and every person in the state has its own roof and is an alternative to PM Awas Yojana in the state. In this article, we will tell you about the complete details of the Bangla Housing Scheme.
Rural housing has remained the priority of the West Bengal govt. and government has completed 47.34 lakh houses under “Banglar Awas Yojana” till 11 March 2022.
WB Banglar Awas Yojana Latest Update
To ensure proper housing for every rural household in the state, CM Mamata Banerjee government has decided to construct at least 4.51 lakh houses initially in 2021-22 fiscal under WB Banglar Awas Yojana (BAY) scheme. The highest number of houses, which is 66,155, would be constructed in Murshidabad district. All District Magistrates have been provided with district-wise data on the number of houses to be built as per the sanction following the set norms in a high-level virtual meeting on 13 July 2021.
District Wise Houses Sanctioned in WB Bangla Awas Yojana 2024
As per the initial sanction for each of the districts, the number of district wise sanctioned houses would be as under:-
- Murshidabad – 66,155 houses
- East Midnapore – 51,212 houses
- Malda – 47,042 houses
- Birbhum – 45,501 houses
- North 24 Parganas – 35,157 houses
- South 24 Parganas – 38,560 houses
- East Burdwan – 30085 houses
- Purulia – 27497 houses
- Darjeeling – 1706 houses
Similarly, sanction for all 22 districts and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad has been provided to district authorities. The district authorities will identify the beneficiaries as per their applications.
Assistance Amount in WB Banglar Awas Yojana
After a registration process, each beneficiary of WB Bangla Awas Yojana will be getting Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.30 lakh each in 2 to 3 installments. The installment amounts will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Each beneficiary will also get wages at Rs. 213 per day under MGNREGA scheme for 95 days as labour cost to build the house.
Around Rs. 5,384 crore has been proposed in the West Bengal State Budget for the year 2021-22 fiscal with a target to build around 9 lakh new houses under BAY scheme. Under the rural housing programme, around 38.31 lakh houses were constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 47,097 crore in between 2010-11 and 2020-21. It includes 8.80 lakh houses in 2020-21 fiscal, which is the highest among all states in the country.
WB Bangla Awas Yojana Application Form PDF
The application format for WB Bangla Awas Yojana 2024 will remain same as of the previous housing schemes by the state government. People can now download WB Bangla Awas Yojana application form PDF through the link – https://www.wbhousing.gov.in/pages/display/171-format-of-application-form. The WB Banglar Awas Yojana Online Application Form will appear as shown below:-
WB Bangla Awas Yojana for Sanatan (Hindu) Brahmin Priests
In WB Bangla Awas Yojana 2024, West Bengal govt. is going to provide Free Houses for Sanatan (Hindu) Brahmin Priests. Around 8,000 poor brahman pujari working in temples (mandirs) will get new homes under the flagship Banglar Awas Yojna housing scheme. In addition to this, a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000 per month will be provided to Hindu priests. Bangla Awas Yojana is an alternative to Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana housing scheme in West Bengal state. Govt. will hand over these houses to the people on a specified date which is to be announced soon.
The decision to provide free homes to Sanatan Brahmin Priests under WB Bangla Awas Yojana 2024 was taken ahead of the assembly polls. The state govt. had earlier provided land to the Sanatan Brahmin sect to set up an academy at Kolaghat. Many priests in this sect are financially weak. So the govt. has decided to help such hindu priests by providing them with an allowance of Rs. 1,000 per month and also free housing under the state government’s housing scheme. The state govt. of West Bengal will also distribute sanction certificates to beneficiaries on “Banglar Awas Bitaran Divas”.
WB Bangla Awas Yojana Launch for Sanatan Brahmin Priests
On 14 September 2020 (Hindi Diwas), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced to start WB Bangla Gramin Awas Yojana for Sanatan Brahmin Priests. In this scheme, approx. 8,000 hindu pujari would be eligible who can avail free homes under the flagship housing scheme of the state. CM congratulated people on the Hindi Diwas and said that West Bengal government respects all languages and does not have a linguistic bias.
Rs. 1,000 Monthly Allowance to Hindu Pujaris
The state govt. will also provide monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000 p.m to hindu pujaris in temples. In addition to the monetary help and housing scheme for hindu priests, CM has also announced to setup Hindi Academy and Dalit Sahitya Academy. CM said “I would request all of you not to find any other meaning in this announcement. It is being done to help the Brahmin priests. They will start getting the allowance from next month as it is the Durga Puja season.”
Opposition Parties Termed it As Gimmik
Recently, BJP President JP Nadda accused that TMC govt. has an Anti Hindu mindset and is pursuing minority appeasement policies. Congress MP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also charged the state government with appeasing the minorities. TMC govt. had faced criticism after coming to power in 2011 for announcing monthly allowance for Imams. The state government had then said that it would be provided by the Wakf Board of West Bengal.
In order to dent the BJP support base among the Hindi-speaking people and the tribal areas of the state, WB govt. also announced the setting up of a Hindi Academy and a Dalit Sahitya Academy.