20% rural workers in state homeless: Report

Chandigarh, December 22

Every fifth rural worker in Punjab is homeless. A survey of 1,640 houses in 12 villages of six districts done by Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union has found that 21.75 per cent of rural Dalits families are homeless.

The survey done in Sangrur, Moga, Muktsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Faridkot has found that 20.50 per cent don’t own a house and they are either staying with their relatives or in a rented accommodation. As per government parameters, if two families live in a house of 5 marla or less, one of them must be considered homeless.

In the absence of a house, the survey found that 1.16 per cent were living in public places like hospitals, dharmshalas, condemned government quarters, or cattle yards of landlords. Besides, there were in cases in which it was found that multiple families were living in less than 5-marla housesWhen it comes to size of the accommodation, the findings of the survey are even more worrying. The survey found that even those who owned houses, over 47 per cent of them were living in houses that had an area of less than 5 marla.

It also found that 16.53 per cent families were living in kutcha houses. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, just 13 per cent of the total eligible families in rural state could get pucca houses in the past five years. Punjab remains one of the worst-performing states.

As far as basic amenities are concerned, over 30 per cent of the houses don’t have toilets, 70 per cent kitchens, 28 per cent bathroom and around 80 per cent don’t have any verandah. Over 10 per cent houses don’t have their own source of water.

Lachhman Singh Sewewala, general secretary, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, said neither the Centre nor the state government had paid heed to the plight of rural workers. He said land reforms should be introduced and additional land should be given to the landless.

Economist Sukhpal Singh said to provide roof on the head of every citizen was government’s duty. He said land was instrumental for socio-economic uplifting of workers. “Instead of providing them houses, the government is hell bent on abolishing 44 laws, which protect rights of the workers,” he said..Delhi-based democratic rights activist Dr Navsaharan said when a rural worker had no land, it turned them helpless against any injustice.

Mostly Dalits

As per an earlier survey by the Department of Rural Development and
Panchayats, 1.25 lakh families were found living in kutcha houses
Of those who were found living in kutcha houses, around 70 per cent were Dalits; 28 per cent others and 2.14 religious minorities
Centre’s data

The latest data compiled by the Union Ministry of Rural Development shows that of 1.25 lakh homeless families, just 16,744 could get pucca houses in the past five years
It means just 13% of the total eligible beneficiaries in the state were given pucca houses. When it comes to rest of India, 31% eligible people got benefit under the scheme
In year wise break-up, 2,319 were given pucca houses in 2015-16, 9,715 in 2016-17 and 3,829 in 2017-18
None of the beneficiaries in the state could get benefit in the last and this financial year
Statistically speaking

20.50% rural workers don’t own a house
1.16% live in public places like hospitals, dharamshalas
47% of those who have houses live in an area
of less than 5 marla
16.53% families live in kutcha houses
13% of eligible families could get pucca houses in five years
On amenities front

30% houses don’t have toilet
70% sans kitchen
28% without a bathroom
80% with no verandah
10% no source of water