The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned an additional 7,465 houses for the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) residing in Nuapada and Rayagada districts.
The Ministry has sanctioned Rs 42 crore and released Rs 20.99 crore of its share as the first instalment for the construction of these additional houses. This is over and above the normal allocation to the State under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The Ministry, which has sanctioned 1,28,057 houses for the State in the current financial year, has already released the first instalment of Rs 306.03 crore.
The sanction of additional assistance from the Ministry was in response to the State Government’s request for the sanction of more houses for Chakotia Bhunjia and Dongria Kondh families in Sunabeda Reserve Forest area in Nuapada district and Bisamcuttack, Kalyansinghpur and Muniguda blocks in Rayagada district.
Earlier this month, the Ministry had cleared the State Government proposal worth Rs 1,078.72 crore for construction of roads and bridges under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The administration of the two districts had raised the issue of additional houses for the PVTGs during the Union Minister’s visit to Kalahandi on January 13 and Nuapada on February 16.
The Ministry had sanctioned an additional financial assistance of Rs 362.52 crore for construction of 99,986 IAY houses for beneficiaries under Forest Rights Act (FRA) in 28 districts..