The Mamata Banerjee government is facing an uphill task of finalising the names of more than 9 lakh beneficiaries under the rural housing scheme (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana) within the next three days as the Centre has made it clear that the complete list of beneficiaries for the 2022-23 financial year has to be ready by December 31.

In the 2022-23 financial year, a total of 11.36 lakh beneficiaries are supposed to get Rs 1.2 lakh each to construct houses in rural areas.

So far, the state has managed to finalise the names of 1.82 lakh beneficiaries through a rigorous verification process in which the eligibility of each of the applicants was assessed.

Now, finalising the names of the remaining beneficiaries within the next 72 hours is a tall ask for the authorities in view of the agitation going on across the state against the three-layer verification process that the government introduced to draw up a flawless list.

On Wednesday, chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi held a video conference with district magistrates where they were asked to finalise the list of beneficiaries in the next three days.

“It was revealed during the video conference that verification of eligibility of most of the beneficiaries was carried out at the panchayat level. But now, the list will be verified at the block as well as the district levels. Moreover, police will also independently conduct sample verifications to ensure that no ineligible name has made it to the list. All these have to be completed by December 31,” said a source.

Soon after the list is verified, the state has to sanction the first allotment to the beneficiaries. This process has to start from January 1. So, preparing the final list has to be done before that.

A section of the bureaucrats has said the state is facing a tough time to verify all 11.36 lakh beneficiaries only because the Centre released funds under the PMAY so late.

The Union government released the funds in November after it had suspended the release of the grants in April on the pretext that the state had changed the name of the scheme to Banglar Awaas Yojana.

“As the funds were released in November with a rider that they had to be used by March, 2023, the state has a very small window to verify the genuineness of more than 11 lakh beneficiaries. As the state is all set to strike off the names of approximately 20 per cent of beneficiaries since they no longer fulfil the criteria, resistance at the grassroots level is expected. Now, it remains to be seen how the process of finalisation of the list can be completed within the next three days,” said a bureaucrat.

Preparing a flawless list is important for the ruling establishment for two reasons.

First, the Centre has made it clear that if ineligible persons get the funds to set up houses, the Centre may not release further funds under the scheme. The state is supposed to get 50 lakh houses built for the rural poor by 2025.

Second, allowing ineligible persons to secure funds under the scheme could cost dear for the ruling party ahead of rural polls next year.

“If the eligible are deprived of the grant and ineligible people get the funds, the ruling party will definitely face the wrath of the rural people. The ruling party cannot take a chance ahead of rural polls and 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said a source.