BHUBANESWAR: Amidst Opposition diatribe over large scale mismanagement in allotment of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) in Odisha, the Centre on Tuesday claimed to have received 39 complaints from the State on irregularities in implementation of the housing scheme. Replying to a starred question of Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi in Lok Sabha, Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said Odisha Government has informed about only eight cases of irregularities for which action as per law has been initiated.
“The MP had written regarding irregularities in allotment of PMAY-G houses to 32 beneficiaries. But the State Government has reported that four ineligible persons have availed PMAY-G houses and four others have constructed houses not on their recorded land,” Tomar told the House.
The State Government has also informed that the then Panchayat Executive Officer of Gadamanitri panchayat has been placed under suspension for selection of four ineligible beneficiaries. FIR has been lodged against three persons for collection of illegal gratification from the beneficiaries, he informed.The Minister said total 968 complaints relating to irregularities in implementation of PMAY-G, including irregularities in allotment of houses till November 28, have been received by Ministry of Rural Development. As the State Governments/UT Administration implement PMAY-G, these complaints have been sent for taking necessary action under intimation to the Ministry.
Of 968 complaints, UP recorded highest 505 allegations, followed by Bihar (143), Madhya Pradesh (57), West Bengal (54) and Rajasthan (40), while 32, 20, 19, and 13 complaints have been received from Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab respectively.
As per Framework for Implementation (FFI) of PMAY-G, there is a grievance redressal mechanism at different levels of administration - Gram Panchayat, block, district and the State. “An official of the State Government will be designated at each level to ensure disposal of grievances to the satisfaction of the complainant. The official at each level will be responsible for disposing off the complaint within 15 days from the date of receipt of the complaint,” Tomar said.