JAGATSINGHPUR: Reports of irregularities have come to the fore in the implementation of housing scheme for rural poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). While the Centre has introduced the scheme to provide housing for all poor people by 2022, there are allegations that numerous undeserving persons have availed the benefits in Naugaon block of the district.
Sources said a woman of Jaleswarpada in Jamugaon GP under Naugaon block had married a person in Garia village of Erasama block three years back. After marriage, her name was deleted from the voters’ list in Jamugaon panchayat and enrolled in Erasama. Though she had no land in Jaleswarpada and the Gram Sabha rejected the proposal, she, however, managed to get a PMAY house. Several such cases were reported in the block, locals alleged.
On the other hand, a divorced woman of Korua panchayat has been deprived of PMAY house despite having land and having her name in the priority list of the scheme. Similarly, several poor villagers in Jamugaon and Chakulipada areas are yet to get the benefits under the scheme.
They said, “Those who pay bribe and are supporters of BJD are getting houses under the scheme.” They alleged that `10,000-20,000 are collected from beneficiaries as bribe for sanctioning each rural house in the block.
The scheme, launched in 2015, caters to the housing needs of mid-income group, economically weaker sections (EWS) and low-income group (LIG). The Government envisages building affordable ‘’pucca’’ houses with water facility, sanitation and electricity supply. The scheme originally was meant to cover people in the EWS (annual income not exceeding `3 lakh) and LIG (annual income not exceeding `6 lakh) sections, but it now covers the mid-income group (MIG) as well.
Under the scheme, a beneficiary gets `1.3 lakh on instalment basis for construction of the house. In 2015-2016, the district had targeted to construct 2,897 houses, of which 2,478 were completed. Similarly, out of 203 PMAY houses, Naugaon block had completed only 149 houses in 2015-2016. In the current financial year, 6,302 PMAY houses have been sanctioned for the district and so far, 60 have been completed.
In Naugaon block, of targeted 484 houses, only one house has been completed while the block has received allotment of `44.4 lakh under the scheme. Sarpanch of Jamugaon panchayat Lalatendu Parida said despite restriction from Gram Sabha, a woman beneficiary has received a house under PMAY in violation of the rules and guidelines of Panchayat Manual. He has urged the block officials to conduct an inquiry to unearth the racket. Meanwhile, locals and BJP leaders, led by Pratap Mishra, have sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, the Union Minister for Rural Development, the Chief Minister and the district Collector in the matter.
Block Development Officer (BDO) Rajiv Lochan Singh said as per new guidelines of PMAY, the left out beneficiaries would get houses under the scheme if they submit fresh applications. After inquiry, they will be eligible to get house under PMAY, he added.