MP man gets house under scheme, slapped with Rs 14,000 bill after Governor's visit

Budhram Adivasi, a resident of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh, could not believe his luck when he was granted an under-construction pucca house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme in August.

The key to the house was handed over by Governor Mangubhai C Patel himself, with whom Budhram shared a meal as well. The lunch was organised during the Governor's visit to the district on August 24, when he attended Budhram's house warming ceremony or griha pravesh.

Much to Budhram's despair, his joys were short-lived when he was presented with a bill of Rs 14,000 by the panchayat members, a day after the Governor's visit. The bill was in relation to a fancy gate that was installed prior to the Governor's visit, by the panchayat members and local officials.

"The officers came. They said Governor sahib would eat lunch here. The new gate worth over ₹ 14,000 was fixed. Now they are asking for money I don't have. If I had known I would have to pay then I would not have got it installed," Budhram told NDTV.

The officials and the members were quick to install fans and the gate to ensure a 'grand' welcome to the Governor, but took them away in warp speed, the very next day after the 'VVIP's' visit.

Along with his new house, Budhram was also promised a cooking gas connection, under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, but he is now left with neither since the house is not yet built.

According to the NDTV report, Bhupendra Singh, the Urban Development Minister when contacted, said the guilty officials will be punished, as this is "against the dignity of the Governor." "We have a tradition that when a guest comes, we decorate the house. But, as you have said, this is against the dignity of His Excellency the Governor. So, we will act," he added.

As expected, Budhram's case subsequently turned into a political issue, with Congress, being first to react.

Congress MLA Kunal Chaudhary said, "After the visit of the Governor, officials handed over a bill of ₹14,000. My request is 'stop looting the poor'. The injustice being done to them... there should be an FIR against those who are responsible."

The Madhya Pradesh government has completed the construction of 20.65 lakh houses, not being able to hit the projected target of 26.28 lakh. The state saw fewer than 24,000 houses in the districts of Guna and Sheopur being approved in the last month.

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