JAGATSINGHPUR: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has directed Jagatsinghpur Collector to submit a detailed report on depriving 13 Dalit families in Karmamanga village under Balikuda block of the housing scheme within 30 days.
As per reports, 13 Dalit families of Karmamanga are living in pathetic condition after being deprived of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana of the Central and State governments respectively despite being eligible for the same. These poor families have been rendered shelterless and are living in dilapidated kutcha houses due to negligence of the district administration.
On December 23 last year, these 13 Dalit families had approached the Block Development Officer of Balikuda demanding their inclusion in the housing schemes. However, their plea was ignored while block officials allotted housing units to the rich and influential persons. The Government officials, in connivance with ruling party leaders, even demanded bribe from the poor families for the purpose, sources alleged.
Later in January, president of Dalit Bikash Parishad, Jagatsinghpur, Sankar Das sought the intervention of the project director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in this regard. The DRDA project director then directed Balikuda BDO on January 10 to enquire into the allegation and submit report within seven days. In the report, the BDO stated that despite being eligible for the schemes, all the 13 Dalit families had been deprived of housing units.Recently, the Dalit families had moved the national SC panel seeking justice in this regard.