Odisha CM writes to PM, requests opening of Aawaas+ window for entire state

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday requested the Centre to open the window of Aawaas+ mobile app for the entire state for one month to migrate the data of all identified households for achieving the objective of 'safe housing for all'.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that the Aawaas+ window was opened by the Ministry of Rural Development only for the 14 Cyclone Fani affected districts for one month as a result of which the process of identification could not be taken up in the remaining 16 districts not affected by Fani.

Stating that the non-affected districts were predominantly tribal-dominated and cover all the KBK areas, the Chief Minister said that the state has identified the left out eligible households in these areas through the portal developed by it observing the procedure similar to Aawaas+.

"In such a scenario, the Ministry of Rural Development may be directed to open the window of Aawaas+ mobile app for entire Odisha for one month to migrate the data of identified eligible households which will be a pragmatic step towards achieving the objective of safe housing for all," he added.

The Chief Minister also referred to his earlier letter written on December 15, 2020 in which he had requested that about 6 lakh identified eligible households under (PMAY-G) in districts not affected by Fani be covered under the scheme.

The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for allotting 8.17 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) for Odisha - which will provide shelter security to the Cyclone Fani affected families.