'Abua Awas Yojana', A Scam by Hemant Soren Govt? Details inside-
19 Nov 2024 11:57:37
Ahead of the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections Chief Minister Hemant Soren's party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), is once again centering its agenda on tribal rights and welfare. However, a critical question persists: has the ruling party, which positions itself as a strong advocate for tribal communities, truly brought meaningful change to their lives during its tenure?
The key promises and schemes announced by the Hemant Soren government, including the 'Abua Awas Yojana' (Our Housing Scheme), land rights, education, healthcare, and employment, are under scrutiny.
Has the tribal community benefited from these initiatives?
The Abua Awas Yojana, launched on August 15, 2023, promised to provide more than 2.5 million residents of Jharkhand with permanent housing under the scheme. Beneficiaries were assured a three-room house for ₹2 lakh, aimed primarily at ensuring safe, affordable housing for tribal communities. However, on the ground, the reality appears grim. Reports indicate that tribal beneficiaries often face hurdles, including being forced to pay bribes to avail of the scheme's benefits.
While government data claims that thousands of tribal families have received housing under the scheme, transparency is lacking. The official website does not provide clear statistics on completed houses.
Moreover, there have been reports that several tribal families have reported having to pay bribes to local officials, contractors, and village leaders to get their housing funds sanctioned or to expedite construction. Without these payments, progress is stalled, leaving the beneficiaries in the lurch. The scheme is also marred by allegations of administrative negligence.
Due to this, a question rises that Hemant Soren's government which has frequently announced initiatives for tribal welfare have not fulfilled their needs.