JAGATSINGHPUR: Alleged irregularities in construction of toilets under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) have become a major poll plank in Jagatsinghpur municipality election with opposition Congress raking up the issue to woo voters during campaigning and turn the tables against the BJD.
Under the PMAY-U scheme, Rs 20,000 is sanctioned to each beneficiary to ensure mandatory construction of toilets as part of their housing plan. However, reports of beneficiaries misusing the funds in connivance with municipality officials have come to the fore. Some of them, sources said, are not constructing toilets but claiming funds by getting their toilets tagged in name of other beneficiaries who have completed their construction.
That’s not all. Many claim that they are deprived of toilets as the official records show last installment of PMAY funds have been sanctioned to other beneficiaries in their name. In 2019, during a survey of 20 cases, seven such cases were unearthed. The following year, 12 more cases came to light in the municipality where beneficiaries reportedly manipulated geo-tagging of toilets and still claimed the funds by developing nexus with surveyors and field level data collectors.
As the fraud came to light last year, names of many beneficiaries including bona fide ones ones were reportedly struck off from the PMAY list causing resentment among genuine ones.
Beneficiaries like Kuna Mallick (ward 14), Kanhu Bisoi (ward13), Basanti Das(ward 15) and Agadhu Behera (ward 12) said, they are unable to construct toilets under the scheme as funds in their name have been sanctioned to other people. Making similar allegations, Rabindra Manna from ward 14 and Ramesh Biswal from ward 16 said, “We are poor and living in a polythene-roofed hut as our names were struck off from the housing scheme without any prior notice. We will give a befitting reply to the BJD in the coming elections.”
Congress chairperson candidate Archana Singh said the party has intensified campaigning and is raising issues like corruption in government welfare schemes. Exuding confidence, former chairperson of the municipality and Congress leader Biplab Chaudhury said, “the party is confident of getting good number of seats as we are highlighting issues like corruption in flagship schemes like housing and other developmental works of the government.”
On the other hand, BJD councillor candidate of ward 14, Sarat Chandra Sethy admitting to the irregularities, said, “I am aware of the housing issues. If I win, all these issues will be addressed at the earliest.”
Executive officer (EO) of Jagatsinghpur Municipality Ashok Kumar Karna was not available for his comments.