Banglar Bari Phase II: 84,334 houses to be built in Nadia
The Statesman | 30 January 2026
In a major push towards ensuring dignified housing for the rural poor, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday rolled out the second phase of the ‘Banglar Bari (Gramin) Awas Prakalpa’, a flagship state-funded housing scheme that aims to turn the long-cherished dream of a safe home into reality for thousands of families across Nadia district.
Conceived as a fully state-financed alternative to centrally sponsored housing programmes, the scheme reflects the state government’s stated commitment to inclusive development, transparency and social security. Under the second phase, 84,334 additional rural families in Nadia ~ primarily the homeless and those living in kutcha houses ~ will receive financial assistance to construct permanent homes.
Each beneficiary family will be provided Rs 1.20 lakh, disbursed in two instalments directly into their bank or post office accounts, ensuring transparency and accountability in fund transfer. Officials said the scheme is not merely about brick-and-mortar structures, but about restoring dignity, safety and a sense of belonging to marginalised households.
The first phase of the scheme had already benefited 46,355 families in the district. With the rollout of the second phase, the total number of beneficiaries in Nadia will rise to 1,30,689, marking one of the largest state-sponsored rural housing interventions in the region.
District Magistrate Aneesh Dasgupta noted that families who received houses in the first phase reported significant improvements in living conditions, social standing and overall quality of life. “A permanent house means protection from natural calamities, better health conditions and renewed confidence about the future,” an official said.
The state government has earmarked Rs 1,568.26 crore for the implementation of the project in Nadia alone, underlining housing as a top developmental priority. The expenditure is being met entirely from the state’s own resources, said Anup Dutta, Additional District Magistrate.
Block-wise data show that the scheme has been implemented across all 18 blocks of the district, with significant beneficiary coverage in areas such as Nakashipara, Ranaghat-II, Kaliganj, Haringhata and Krishnagar-I. Nakashipara recorded the highest number of beneficiaries in the second phase, followed closely by Chapra and Kaliganj.
Officials emphasised that the beneficiary list was prepared after extensive field verification to ensure that the most deserving households were covered. “The focus has been on reaching those who were left out of earlier schemes,” a senior district administrator said.
With the second phase now underway, the ‘Banglar Bari (Gramin) Awas Prakalpa’ has emerged as a key pillar of the state government’s welfare architecture, one that seeks to translate policy into tangible, life-changing outcomes for rural Bengal’s poorest families.