BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday hit out at the State government for alleged irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the flagship rural housing scheme.
Addressing a memorial meeting at Mahanga after paying tribute to two senior BJP workers, Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral who were recently murdered, Pradhan said the sacrifices made by the two leaders will not go in vain. “Mahanga has a history of political violence. Before the double murder, two more murders had occurred here. The murders were a fallout of exposure of corruption in PMAY,” Pradhan said.
Lambasting the BJD government for promoting corruption in the rural housing scheme, the Union Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sanctioning funds liberally to Odisha to see that all poor people have pucca houses by 2022 when India will celebrate 75 years of Independence.
However, the fund is not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to corrupt practices in the selection process. The BJP is fighting for a long time against such malpractice and the fight will continue till the objectives are fulfilled, he said.
Pradhan who met the family members of the two slain BJP leaders said he had apprised the Prime Minister about the killings a day after it occurred. The PM expressed concern over it and told Home Minister Amit Shah about it.
Prior to his visit to Mahanga, the Union Minister inaugurated the new Patient Care and Help Center (Aarogya Bhawan) of Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti at Nialin in Cuttack district in the presence of Akhil Bharatiya Seva Pramukh (All India Service Chief) of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Parag Abhyankar.
Built under the CSR Initiative of ONGC Limited, this facility will provide free accommodation, food and other services to patients and their assistants. This modern four-storey ‘Arogya Bhawan’ will be very beneficial for poor patients, Pradhan said.