PERAMBALUR: Even as the Madras High Court recently directed the State government to monitor allotment of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAYG) over allegations of irregularities by panchayat officials, a 60-year-old widow at Pennakonam in the district was stunned to learn that her late husband, too, has been counted as a beneficiary under the Centre’s scheme.
M Amirtham has been residing alone in a tiled roof house at Pennakonam in Veppur block ever since her husband Mani, who was a casual labourer, passed away in September 2020 owing to ill health. While their unmarried son passed away years ago, their two daughters have been residing away after marriage. It recently came to Amirtham’s notice that her husband was allotted a house under PMAYG scheme at a cost of Rs 1.70 lakh in the financial year 2016-2017.
The fund support includes 50,000 for RCC roofing by the State government. Accordingly, Rs 1.2 lakh was even credited to Mani's bank account in four instalments between 2017 and 2019, a perusal of records in the PMAYG website revealed. For every stage-wise payment, forged documents and pictures of a random under-construction building were uploaded to the government portal to pass off as progress of construction of Mani’s house.
The portal now mentions the house construction as having been completed, to Amirtham’s surprise. "I did not know about the house allotment under the scheme even when my husband was alive. He had been ailing for some years before he passed away. Someone cheated us by uploading fake photos and documents, and took away the amount allocated for the house. We did not get anything, even a house," said Amirtham.
"After my husband's death, I am struggling to make a living by working as a casual labourer. I am living alone as my son is also dead. The district collector should immediately trace those involved in the scam and dismiss them," she added. Kumar, a resident of Pennakonam, said, "Panchayat officials have looted the money without building a house for Mani.
Several irregularities have surfaced with regard to implementation of the scheme and the MGNREGS in the panchayat. Even though we raised the issue with the Veppur BDO office, neither was there an inspection nor a proper response from the authorities." When contacted, Veppur Block Development Officer R Selvakumar told TNIE, "The amount has been credited to Mani's bank account. When I enquired, the panchayat secretary replied that a house has been built for them (Amirtham and Mani). I am looking into the issue."