In Rajasthan, Modi government's funds for housing spent on marrying a 2nd time, buying bikes

The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana -- a Central government programme to ensure housing for all by 2022 -- was started with the purported aim of providing shelter for the needy.

However, an investigation by India Today TV/ Aaj Tak in Rajasthan has unearthed massive irregularities and siphoning off of money in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project.

During the investigation it was found out that the government had been transferring money into people's accounts but the beneficiaries were using the money for very different purposes.

In several cases, it has come to the fore that with the money received from the government to build houses, someone has purchased a motorcycle, while another married a second time.

As for the house what one sees are a heap of rubble or a dilapidated structure far from the concrete shelter one would have expected.

As per the scheme, a beneficiary of the housing scheme will get around Rs 1.48 lakh. This money was to be used to build a room, store, kitchen and parapet

Consider the case of 45-year-old Ehsaan living in Phagi. He has three children. All four of them earn their livelihood by doing physical labour. Today, they all stay in a makeshift tent as they used to earlier.

Nothing unusual about that except for the fact that Ehsaan has already taken two instalments: the first one of Rs 30,000 in March, 2017 and the second one of Rs 90,000 in November, 2017 from the government for constructing a house. All of that money has been spent for anything but constructing a house.

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Take another example of Fariyad who stays in the same locality. He got the first instalment in November, 2017. Within ten days, he withdrew the entire money but not a single penny was spent on constructing the house.

Now, when he has been threatened with a legal case by government officials, his refrain has been, he has the money but cannot construct house due to ban on stone -- bajri.

Like them , there are scores of other examples. Take that of Bhima Ram Saini who stays in Patan area in Jaipur district. The money he received under the scheme was spent by him and he continues to stay in a rented house.

Another person, Naveen claims he received Rs 22,500 as the first instalment which was spent in medical treatment. The government has said that he will only get more money if he shows proof of work for the first instalment.

The government, however, it seems, has turned a blind eye to these discrepancies. "There are such problems in some places but no such thing has come to the fore in Rajasthan," said Rajendra Rathore, Rajasthan's rural development minister.

The story does not end here. There have been massive irregularities that have surfaced in the implementation of the scheme. In several cases, the wall has been erected or affluent people have taken money to build big houses.

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As per figures available with India Today, in Rajasthan itself, during the year 2016-17, the target was for constructing 2,58,058 houses. Out of that, money has already been credited in people's accounts for the construction of 2,50,015 houses.

However, here is the catch: only 1,59, 102 people took the third instalment. That, in essence, means there is no knowledge of what happened to more than 30 per cent houses, as per the scheme.

This, despite the fact that as per rule, the houses were to be completed within the year.

The figures for 2017 - 18 are even more startling. The target was for construction of 2,23,629 houses. Out of that, the government has already credited the first instalment in the accounts of 2,15, 347 people.

However, out of that, only 36, 786 people have taken the third instalment. That is, less than 20 per cent people have taken the final instalment.

In several cases, beneficiaries rather than constructing a pucca roof have built walls and thereafter, putting tin roofs atop that. Phagi's Ashok Brahmbahaat has got two instalments but rather than getting a roof constructed, he has put a tin roof.

In Santoshi's case a roof was constructed but now she claims she does not have money for getting a toilet constructed due to which she is not getting that final instalment.

The government has been slow to stem the menace and has, so far, registered 80 cases against some of the alleged unscrupulous beneficiaries.

The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana was earlier called the Indira Awaas Yojana. However, in 2015 Narendra Modi effected a name change. The objective: to ensure that everyone has a roof above one's head.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana : Misuse of funds

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