In a significant achievement for rural development, Beed district in Maharashtra has been declared the state's best-performing region in implementing priority housing schemes run by both the state and central governments. The landmark success saw more than 50,000 beneficiary families move into their newly constructed permanent homes between January and the end of October.
A Mission-Mode Approach Yields Results
The accomplishment is attributed to rigorous, time-bound planning and relentless on-ground execution by the district administration. District Collector Vivek Johnson highlighted that despite facing persistent challenges like acute water scarcity, seasonal migration of labour, and constraints in construction material availability, the administration ensured all rural housing works were completed within the stipulated deadlines.
"We adopted a mission-mode approach with daily monitoring," Johnson told TOI, emphasizing that this structured strategy was crucial to the project's success. To keep motivation high, families who completed their house construction ahead of schedule were publicly felicitated, setting a positive example for others to follow.
Overcoming Bottlenecks with Proactive Measures
Jithin Rahman, the Chief Executive Officer of Beed Zilla Parishad, explained that the administration's core focus was on eliminating delays at every possible stage. "Our priority was to ensure beneficiaries did not face hurdles due to technical approvals, fund disbursal, or material availability," Rahman stated.
This was achieved through a system of daily review meetings, frequent field visits by officials, and seamless coordination among various departments. One of the most critical hurdles was the procurement of sand for construction. To solve this, the administration arranged for manufactured sand (M-Sand) as an alternative, ensuring that the work did not stall.
The financial engine for this massive initiative was robust, with nearly Rs 1,000 crore being directly transferred into the bank accounts of beneficiaries during an intensive three to four-month campaign period. This direct benefit transfer (DBT) model ensured transparency and timely access to funds.
By the Numbers: A Breakdown of Success
The scale of achievement is clear from the official data. The completed houses were constructed under several key government schemes:
- 36,643 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAYG).
- 3,882 houses under the state's Ramai Awas Yojana.
- 9,438 houses under another state housing scheme.
- 266 houses under the Shabri Awas Yojana.
According to ground reports collected by the administration, almost all the beneficiaries have now settled into their new homes. This mass transition from temporary or inadequate shelters to secure, permanent houses marks a transformative change in the rural landscape of Beed.
Officials assert that Beed's effective model has now set a high benchmark for rural housing implementation across Maharashtra. The district's success story demonstrates how focused administrative will, coupled with proactive problem-solving, can accelerate inclusive development and directly impact the lives of thousands of families.
