{
  "id": 251348,
  "title": "Bengal CM renames housing scheme, gives aid to 10 lakh beneficiaries",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/bengal-cm-renames-housing-scheme-gives-aid-to-10-lakh-beneficiaries",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-07T05:00:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/bengal-cm-renames-housing-scheme-gives-aid-to-10-lakh-beneficiaries/article71314155.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 6, 2026, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari formally renamed the housing scheme 'Banglar Bari' to 'Paschim Banga Awas'. The State Cabinet also released the final tranche of financial aid to over 10 lakh beneficiaries. Adhikari declared that each of the 10,20,379 beneficiaries received ₹60,000, leading to a combined expenditure of more than ₹6,000 crore. He announced that the first installment of funds would be given to numerous new beneficiaries following the Durga Puja festival in October. Beneficiaries are entitled to receive a financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh, paid in two instalments for house construction. The beneficiaries are part of the 18 lakh families identified under the housing scheme during the previous Trinamool Congress government. The housing scheme for rural poor remained dormant for some years during the last TMC regime. It was launched by Mamata Banerjee in 2024, two years after the Central funding for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) (PMAY-G) ended in the State due to alleged corruption. Adhikari urged people to apply for the 'Paschim Banga Awas' scheme, emphasizing that it would be caste, creed, or religion-neutral, and genuine applicants would receive the benefit.",
  "summary": "The scheme for housing for the rural poor was lying in limbo for the past few years during the previous Trinamool Congress government",
  "key_points": [
    "West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari renamed housing scheme 'Banglar Bari' to 'Paschim Banga Awas'.",
    "State Cabinet released final tranche of aid to over 10 lakh beneficiaries.",
    "Each beneficiary received ₹60,000, totaling over ₹6,000 crore expenditure."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Renaming the housing scheme and disbursing aid to over 10 lakh beneficiaries signals a shift in approach, reviving a dormant program and potentially altering the state's rural development landscape.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}