BJP, BJD at loggerheads over selection of PMAY-G recipents

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP and the BJD locked horns over the fairness in selection of beneficiaries for Centre’s flagship housing scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), even as the deadline to submit objections and suggestions by public to the draft list of 9.59 lakh beneficiaries ended on Tuesday.
Alleging that three lakh undeserving beneficiaries have made it to the draft list, the BJP announced to submit a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday seeking immediate modification.
Speaking to mediapersons, Bhubaneswar MP and BJP national spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi said the BJP has kept a close watch on the situation to ensure only eligible people make it to the final list. “It is the responsibility of the state government to ensure there is no corruption in allocation of the houses to deserving poor people,” she said.
BJP state general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan said the three lakh ineligible people have made it to the list on the basis of their party affiliation and under the patronage of BJD politicians while many deserving families have been left out. If the state government doesn’t take corrective measures within seven days, the BJP will stage demonstrations across all the 314 blocks, he said.
Harichandan said if the state doesn’t modify the list, the state BJP will apprise the Centre about it and also move the court if needed. Senior BJD MLA and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra dared the BJP to make list of the eligible beneficiaries left out and ineligible who made it to the list.
“If it has the information, the BJP should come out with the list instead of indulging in mudslinging for narrow political gains,” Mishra said.
The BJD leader said the 9.59 lakh beneficiaries finally cleared by the Union rural development ministry is around 20% less than the number initially agreed upon. This has add to the confusion among people, he said.
Mishra said the objection and suggestion process was meant to ensure eligible beneficiaries get the houses. All should cooperate so that they get the houses on time.
The state on January 16 invited objections and suggestion to a draft list of PMAY-G beneficiaries by January 24. The draft list includes 8.1 lakh from regular waitlist and 1.42 lakh families whose houses were damaged by cyclone Fani in 2019.