696 beneficiaries in Fani-hit districts ‘ineligible’ 

BHUBANESWAR:  The Centre on Tuesday informed Lok Sabha that the Odisha government has submitted the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the findings of the Central team that conducted an inquiry into alleged irregularities in implementation of the rural housing scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G).

“The ATR of the State is being examined and suitable action would be taken after approval of the competent authority,” said Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

In a written reply to queries from Congress MP from Kerala Suresh Kodikunnil, the Union Minister said the Odisha government in its July 20 ATR to the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) admitted that 696 out of 775 households of the cyclone Fani-affected districts of the State were found to be not eligible to get housing assistance under PMAY-G.

The remaining 76 in Awaas+ list were found eligible and their registration, geo-tagging and Aadhaar seeding have been completed. Dismissing BJP allegation that Odisha government is not making budgetary provision under PMAY-G, the ATR said there is no pendency in drawal of matching State share as it has always made adequate budgetary provision.

On allegation that BJD government is hijacking the Centrally sponsored scheme by renaming it as a State scheme, the ATR said, “No such attempt has ever been made. The State government has decided to co-brand the PMAY-G houses by affixing logos of both PMAY-G and BPGY as it is investing 40 per cent as matching share.”

The Union Minister said the major findings of the Central team which visited the State in February include lack of PMAY-G logo, poor quality of construction, incomplete houses shown as completed in MIS and houses sanctioned to ineligible beneficiaries. Earlier, in a representation to Union RD Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, nine BJP MPs from Odisha while alleging irregularities in distribution of PMAY aid sanctioned for 3.89 lakh houses damaged by Fani, had shared a list of 831 ineligible beneficiaries.