BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Thursday targeted the State government over the loss of seven lives including five children of Mayurbhanj in wall collapse due to recent rains and floods. The party alleged irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and wondered why the victims of the wall collapse have not been considered for the scheme.
After a visit to the flood-affected areas of the district and meeting the victims’ families, State BJP president Samir Mohanty said the poor families are victims of corruption and State government apathy. Instead of providing relief and other assistance, the district administration is trying to suppress the matter, he alleged.
Considering the demand of the State government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi allotted 8.17 lakh houses under PMAY for the State last year. While not a single house has been allotted even after more than one-and-a-half years, the ruling BJD has been demanding the Centre open the Aawas+ window once more to upload names of left-out eligible persons, the state BJP chief said.
Around 1.47 lakh houses allotted for the Mayurbhanj district have not been distributed among the beneficiaries, he alleged. Alleging rampant corruption in the selection of beneficiaries and construction of houses, Mohanty showed photographs of many half-constructed houses adorning the Biju Pucca Ghar logo despite strict instruction by the Centre not to do so.
Records showed that the beneficiaries have been paid in full even as their houses have no toilets, doors and windows. The government must explain why these families were not considered for housing assistance under PMAY. “Are they not eligible,” he asked.