The Bengal government has taken up an intensive drive to ensure that all beneficiaries — who received the first instalment of ₹60,000 under the Banglar Bari scheme in December 2024 — complete their dwelling units up to lintel level at the earliest.

In the construction of a house, the lintel is often a wooden beam or concrete slab placed horizontally above a door or window opening to discharge the weight of the structure above.

The state government had released ₹60,000 each to 12 lakh beneficiaries as the first instalment under the scheme to construct dwelling units. They were supposed to complete construction up to the lintel level by May this year, when the state government released the remaining ₹60,000 to the beneficiaries for completion of their homes.

The last report drawn up by the state panchayat department revealed that nearly 30 per cent of the beneficiaries who had received the first instalment in December last year could not complete construction up to the lintel level.

“But the most disturbing fact is that 1.04 per cent of the beneficiaries took no initiative to construct their units even though they had received the first instalment six months ago. Now, the district authorities have been asked to find out why they did not start construction of their houses. At the same time, they would ensure that others who could not complete houses up to lintel level should complete them at the earliest,” said a senior official.

Sources in the administration said the state government had taken the drive for two reasons.

First, if a beneficiary fails to construct a house after receiving the first instalment, the Opposition parties would malign the ruling establishment, alleging that the beneficiaries were coerced into paying cut money to the ruling party leaders, thereby preventing them from building their houses.

“No government would like to face such an allegation ahead of the Assembly polls.... The officials who would visit the houses of the defaulters should ensure that if any of the beneficiaries could not start construction for any reason, they should return the money to the government,” said an official.

The official added that declaration forms in this regard had already been distributed among the officials visiting the beneficiaries.

“But the focus of the teams would be to identify the reason behind the beneficiary's failure and try to resolve the issues. If any beneficiary does not start construction despite all assistance, the person would be asked to refund the funds,” he added.

Second, the government wanted to complete houses for all the beneficiaries ahead of the 2026 polls so that it could be showcased as a success of the state. The ruling party can use this success to counter the BJP-led Centre that had stopped the release of funds under the rural housing scheme, alleging misappropriation of funds over the past three years.

“The government does not want even one per cent gap in this project. This is why the state is laying stress on the completion of houses under the scheme,” said a source.

Not only those who could not start construction under the scheme, the state would also reach out to those who could not complete construction up to the lintel level in the past six months.

“They might be facing some problems.... Be it is a problem in the supply of materials or difficulty in finding masons, the authorities would help them in all possible ways. We want them to complete their houses at the earliest,” said another official.