Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government is set to handover 76 flats constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) on property seized from mafia-turned-politician Atique Ahmed.

Over 6,000 people had applied to get houses constructed on land freed from Atique’s possession. The land parcel is located in the Lukerganj area of Prayagraj and is being developed by the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA).

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is an initiative by the Government of India in which affordable housing is provided to the urban poor.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had laid the foundation stone of the project on 26 December 2022. He promised to deliver the houses before the next Diwali and the government is set to keep that promise.

Atique Ahmed was convicted of charges of kidnapping Umesh Pal in 2006 along with two aides, by a Prayagraj MP/MLA court and sentenced to two years in jail. The five-time MP/MLA is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has announced that it will not field Atique’s wife as the mayoral candidate in the upcoming local body polls in the state. She joined the BSP on 5 January this year, when the party had announced to field her for the contest.

She has been absconding ever since the murder of Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in the murder of former BSP MLA Raju Pal, on 24 February. The Prayagraj Police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to her arrest.