GS4 · UPSC Mains

Gopal is an 80-year-old man living in a remote and an underdeveloped village in a Central Indian state. He had been residing in a small mud house for years. When he came to know about the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), he saw a glimmer of hope for a pucca house in the last phase of his life. However, the village sarpanch and panchayat secretary told him that to be eligible under the scheme, he must first demolish his existing house so that during a site inspection, no structure would be visible at the location. Subsequently, Gopal demolished his shelter and began living under a babool tree. For nearly six months, he has been staying in the open, braving harsh weather conditions. During this time, he has repeatedly visited the panchayat office but has been told that his application cannot be processed as he lacks the necessary documents. You are the officer-in-charge of implementing PMAY-G in the district. The case of Gopal reaches you through a prominent newspaper report. You personally visit him to understand the situation on the ground. After meeting him and listening to his account, you feel that he certainly needs support. Your enquiries confirm that he is truly destitute and living in a pitiable condition under the open sky. It is also established that he demolished his house based on a faulty interpretation of the scheme by panchayat officials. However, he has no documents to show that he fulfils the eligibility criteria under the scheme. Now you are in a dilemma. Including him under the scheme without the necessary documents would clearly be a violation of rules. But denying him support would be cruel and inhuman. a. Can you think of a rational way to resolve this dilemma? b. Give your reasons for it. c. What are the ethical issues involved in the above case?

20 marks · 250 words · 14 toppers answered this · seen 2025

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