Chhattisgarh leaders clash over PM Awas Yojana implementation record

A public debate between former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and BJP leader Vijay Sharma brought into sharp focus the implementation gaps in the Prime Minister Awas Yojana, the government's flagship affordable housing initiative.

The two leaders sparred over the performance of their respective governments in rolling out the scheme. Baghel defended the Congress government's tenure between 2018 and 2023, while Sharma highlighted steps taken by the BJP administration since assuming office in December 2023. The debate centred on concrete actions taken or gaps in implementation during each administration's watch.

PM Awas Yojana, launched to provide housing assistance to economically weaker sections and low-income groups across India, has been a key priority for successive central governments. In Chhattisgarh, the scheme's progress has emerged as a political flashpoint, with both parties claiming credit for beneficiaries while accusing the other of administrative shortcomings.

The public airing of disagreement between senior state leaders underscores the competitive political atmosphere in Chhattisgarh ahead of upcoming electoral contests. Housing delivery remains a critical metric by which governments are judged in states with significant rural populations still awaiting improved living standards.