Bhubaneswar: Undeterred by the Opposition criticism, Treasury Bench members in the Odisha Assembly, said Monday that the state government has been using logos of Biju Housing Schemes on the houses constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and that they will continue to do so.
When Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Pradipta Naik (BJP) complained in the House citing a government order issued by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Jajpur to use promotional tiles of Biju schemes on the PMAY houses, the Treasury Bench members retorted that they would continue to do so.
The BJD MLAs claimed that the so called central scheme uses 40 per cent funds from the state government and there is nothing wrong in using the tiles flaunting state schemes. BJD Chief Whip in the Assembly Pramila Mallick and party leader Debi Prasad Mishra counter-attacked Naik on the issue.
“Earlier, the scheme was called Indira Awas Yojana. It was later rechristened as PMAY. Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the Centre-state funding pattern to 60:40. If we are contributing 40 per cent on the housing scheme, why can’t we claim it,” said Mallick. She claimed that if Odisha backtracks on the 40 per cent contribution, the houses would not be constructed.
Mishra said, “Do not panic. Under the Congress government the central schemes like PMAY had major support from the Centre. Now, under the new government, the states need to contribute a good share in such schemes. Such intolerance is not good. Federal structure needs balance.”
Under severe attack from the treasury benches, the BJP leader withdrew his allegations to some extent and requested the government to at least give credit to the PMAY for such houses. “At least consider writing that 60 per cent of the funds in housing was given by the Centre. Let’s write 60:40 fund share on the houses constructed under PMAY. How can you discredit central share in such schemes. You (state government) do not have ample funds to construct houses at this large scale on your own,” Naik retorted.
On the other hand, Losinga MLA and BJP leader Mukesh Mahalinga claimed that many deserving beneficiaries of PMAY are still deprived of the benefit and the state should extend the deadline for raising issues relating to the list of beneficiaries. He also asked the government to refrain from including people close to the ruling party.
PNN