Protests erupt in Bardhaman as panchayat head's family allegedly receives ineligible Awas Yojana grant

On Wednesday, villagers in Ausgram, East Bardhaman, staged a protest outside the Berenda Panchayat office, alleging irregularities in the distribution of funds under the Bangla Awas Yojana. Protesters accused Mariyam Khatun, the head of the Berenda Panchayat, of improperly receiving the housing grant despite her family owning a two-story house. The Bangla Awas Yojana, a state government initiative, is designed to provide housing for economically disadvantaged families. However, the protestors claim that families in genuine need were excluded from the list of beneficiaries, while families with more resources, including the Panchayat head’s, were included.

The protest saw participation from residents of several localities within the Berenda Panchayat area, including Shrikrishnapur, Jaykrishnapur, and Berenda. Locals voiced their frustration over the exclusion of eligible individuals from the housing scheme and demanded that the allocation of the funds be reviewed. According to villagers, the government’s grant distribution process lacked transparency, with several poor families being left out while more affluent families benefited from the program.

In addition to the allegations surrounding the Awas Yojana, the protestors also raised concerns over alleged corruption in the disbursement of government compensation for farmers. The protestors accused the Panchayat of taking a cut from the compensation money that was meant for farmers affected by government policies. This added fuel to the anger of local residents, who believe that these issues reflect a pattern of mismanagement and misuse of government resources.

The protest intensified throughout the day, but following police intervention, the situation calmed. Authorities negotiated with the villagers to peacefully end the protest, and the crowd dispersed after several hours. Panchayat head Mariyam Khatun did not respond to any of the allegations raised during the protest, and local authorities have yet to provide an official response regarding the claims of misallocation of funds. There has been no confirmation of any immediate investigation into the allegations.