Kanika Kalita, a Jeevika Sakhi from Baghmara in Bajali district, went above and beyond her duties to ensure that deserving families received pucca houses. As part of her role, she dedicated herself to the geo-tagging of kutcha houses, ensuring fair allocation of homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
“Although it was a tedious task, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were five villages under my jurisdiction, and each day I visited different villages, assisting hundreds of villagers,” Kanika said while interacting with Asom Barta.
For Kanika, the experience proved to be an invaluable learning process. She realized the power of communication in extending support to communities, “As a Jeevika Sakhi, we typically engage with women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but this new role allowed me to interact with people from different backgrounds and gain a deeper understanding of the official processes,” she said.
Kanika added, “The people were incredibly supportive throughout the entire process, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to contribute to the overall development of the village.”
Similarly, Anjuma Khatun, another Jeevika Sakhi from Morigaon, traveled 7-8 km daily and, at times, even crossed rivers to conduct surveys, “Although there were issues due to the delayed renewal of job cards at certain locations, the experience was overwhelmingly rewarding,” she said.
“Despite the challenging weather conditions, I worked tirelessly from 8 AM to 6 PM. every day to identify beneficiaries. I’m proud that our efforts will help provide roofs for many disadvantaged families,” Anjuma added.
Like Kanika and Anjuma, over 4,000 Jeevika Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, Krishi Sakhis, Bank Sakhis, and community resource persons participated in the verification and documentation of potential beneficiaries from March 17-26. Their efforts have significantly empowered women’s participation at the grassroots level, helping Assam become the first State to take such an ambitious initiative.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, announcing the initiative, stated, “Instead of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Jeevika Sakhis from neighbouring villages will oversee the process. The preliminary survey, conducted under the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM), will be uploaded on the Anwesha portal to identify households that were excluded from previous surveys.”
As a result of these efforts, 388,358 sanction letters under PMAY-G have been distributed to beneficiaries across Assam. The first instalment of ₹37,500 will be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts to assist in the construction of their pucca houses.
While handing over the PMAY-G sanction letters, the Chief Minister stated, “The State Government has taken a decisive step to ensure that Housing for All is no longer a distant vision but a reality. We aim to complete the target of 26 lakh PMAY houses in the near future and will also provide 15 lakh additional homes to ensure that every poor family in Assam has their own pucca house.”
PMAY-G eligibility includes homeless individuals and households with up to two rooms constructed from kutcha materials. Those with more than two rooms, excluding kitchens, do not qualify. In tea garden areas, all eligible workers will receive homes within the estates, regardless of their economic ties to management.
