Khurda: Collector Sitanshu Kumar Rout, Saturday, suspended three Panchayat Executive Officers (PEOs) in connection with irregularities in the allocation of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) at Podadiha gram panchayat in Begunia block here, said an official of the district administration.
The suspended PEOs are Narayan Jena, Kedar Behera and Jaydev Subudhhi. The three PEOs were working under Podadiha gram panchayat from 2016-17 financial year to 2019-20 fiscal, added the official.
The collector also recommended disciplinary action against then Begunia Block Development Officer (BDO) Rabi Narayan Majhi and Additional Block Development Officer (ABDO) Mahendra Jena. Majhi has been shifted to Angul district a few days ago while Jena is now working at Bologarh block, sources said.
Moreover, at least 79 ineligible beneficiaries in Begunia block would be asked to return the PMAY assistance to the administration, said the district collector.
It is learnt that several irregularities in the allocation of houses under the PMAY were reported from Podadiha panchayat from 2016-17 financial year to 2019-20 fiscal. As per the allegations, some families were allocated multiple PMAY houses in violation of the norms.
Besides, villagers residing in concrete houses had managed to get PMAY houses. Even, some villagers had availed the PMAY funds without constructing the houses. The irregularities in the implementation of the housing scheme were reported in a section of media.
Seeking a high-level probe into the irregularities, social activist Bibhuti Bhusan Dash had staged a hunger strike in front of the Collector’s office, November 21. Dash had suspended his hunger strike after senior officials of the district administration assured him of an impartial probe into the irregularities.
Dash resumed his hunger strike, December 18, after the administration failed to take action against the officials involved in the PMAY irregularities.