Amrita Kuteerams in Panihati, Kolkata

Free Housing Project at Panihati, Kolkata
In 2004, on an initiative from Sri Ashok Bhattacharya, Honorable Minister of Urban Development, Government of West Bengal, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signedby MAM and  Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) jointly construct 275 multi-storied houses at Panihati, Shodepur.

The cost of this project of building 275 FREE houses for the needy was Rs. 2.5 Crores. Both MAM and KMDA shared this cost equally. However, when its ready to be given away to the beneficiaries, 250 would be allotted by KMDA and 25 would be allotted by MAM.

After laying the foundation stone for this project Ashok Bhattacharya told the media reporters about the issue of a Communist government associating itself with a spiritual organization that “The government is not concerned about the religious nature of the institution. What the government sees is the good work being done by the MAM, to uplift the downtrodden people of the society and in this activity the government is happy to associate with MAM.

For this project, an one acre picturesque plot of land on the banks of beautiful Ganges has been assigned. MAM has built four multi-storied buildings which accounts for 275 residential units. Each unit has a living room along with an attached bath and a small kitchen. The buildings are designed to have provisions for running water supply as well as electric power for 24 hours a day. A small hall has been constructed for conducting functions and other festivities.

This residential colony would also have plantations, a proper sewage disposal system, and internal roads. Due to the massive 2004 tsunami rehabilitation work taken up by MAM, Kuteeram project at Panihati got delayed by two years. These Amrita Kuteerams were inaugurated by Amma during her visit to Kolkata in March, 2010.