Ratnakar Majhi of Udaypur village under Remuna block was sanctioned housing assistance of ` 45,000 under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) on December 31, 2010. Though two years have already passed, the house is yet to be constructed.
Similar is the case with Janaki Sethi of Deokhanda, Lambu Singh of Balidhari and Malati Singh of Padabandha who were provided financial assistance under the housing scheme during the same time. Their houses too have not been constructed yet.
The irregularities do not end here.
Block authorities have issued over 4,000 work orders in one day on December 31, 2010 and surprisingly not a single house is in sight. Besides, officials have sanctioned IAY houses to the residents of neighbouring Mayurbhanj district in violation of government norms.
Investigations revealed that the BDO had issued work order in favour of Sk Gofar on December 31, 2010 while he has already relocated to Betnoti area of Mayurbhanj for more than eight years.
Similarly, Sk Hasimuddin, who has been residing in Kulkunda for the last 10 years, has been sanctioned IAY house but in the work order, he has been cited as a resident of Jankharai village under Remuna block.
Locals alleged that crores of rupees have been siphoned off by the block officials in the name of fake IAY beneficiaries. Block authorities, however, washed off their hands saying the work orders for the houses were issued on the basis of the report of the executive officer and the BPL list of the villages where names of the beneficiaries figured.
Residents of Chasakhand said over 600 houses under IAY were sanctioned to the beneficiaries in 2010-11 and 2011-12 in violation of the government guidelines. Work orders were issued without the clearance of the Palli Sabha.
Not only Chasakhand, irregularities in allotment of the IAY houses also have been reported from Durgadevi, Patripal, Ganipur, Remuna, Biruan, Inchudi and Nuagaon panchayats. A villager, Asiq Alli Hussein, said the real beneficiaries were deprived of houses under the IAY and Mo Kudia Yojana due to some corrupt block officials.
DRDA Project Director Anjan Kumar Manik said an inquiry was conducted following the allegations and the team comprising three officials, including additional PD (schemes) and District Panchayat Officer, found the allegations true.
“We have submitted a report to the government citing involvement of the BDO and others while another report will be sent shortly. Vigilance Department has also seized the documents and started an inquiry,” he said.