Sonepur: An investigation has detected irregularities in the allotment of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin) in Tarada panchayat under Binika block of Subarnapur district. The Lokayukta has slapped a notice to the BDO and two beneficiaries of PMAY in this regard. According to the report, Brundaban Mishra, a youth of Phulamuthi village had filed a written complaint about irregularities in the PMAY at the Lokayukta in August this year.
The Lokayukta issued notices November 16 to the Binika BDO and two PMAY beneficiaries – Ugrasen Mishra and Hadu Mishra of Phulamuthi village – to submit their replies within six weeks. The next hearing of the case will be held December 27. It was alleged that some government officials working in the Panchayati Raj department are involved in the PMAY scam. Sources said many rich and affluent persons have been allotted PMAY housing units in 2020-21 fiscal.
However, scores of poor people eligible to get houses have been deprived of their benefits. Brundaban had written several times to the Subarnapur Collector and the Vigilance department about the PMAY irregularities in Phulamuthi village. However, officials of the block administration after probing the matter did not find any.
Later, Brundaban wrote to the RDC northern range in Sambalpur regarding the irregularities. The RDC had directed District Collector Sunil Narwane to conduct a probe. Sonepur BDO Soumyaranjan Swain, Binika tehsildar Mukteswar Panigrahi and DRDA APD Alok Mishra looked into the matter and found irregularities in the PMAY.
In the report, they stated that people who are not eligible had been allotted houses under PMAY in violation of the guidelines. One of the beneficiaries has a pucca house while another draws a monthly pension of Rs 10,000.