Kendrapara: The riverside villagers of Ghagaradiha have failed to get government benefits as the block and tehsil of this village are different.
Though, the village comes under Kendrapara block, the land documents of the inhabitants fall under Pattamundai tehsil. This discrepancy has deprived the villagers of most of the benefits.
About 80 families with a population of 400 are residing in Ghagaradiha under Ghagara gram panchayat. Most of the residents are fishermen and eke out their living by fishing in Brahmani.
Though the Ward No-1 (Ghagaradiha) comes under Kendrapara block, the domestic and agriculture land of the inhabitants come under Taradipal GP of Alapua revenue circle in Pattamundai tehsil.
“Though, we have the voter identity cards, Aadhaar and also get subsidised food grains under NFSA from Ghagara panchayat, when we go to Kendrapara tehsil to collect our residence certificate, caste certificate or income certificate, the authorities deny us the much required documents as our lands come under Pattamundai tehsil. The officials send us to Alapua revenue inspector’s office in Pattamundai tehsil to collect certificates,” alleged Karunakar Majhi, a villager.
Lack of these essential documents creates hurdles in admission of their children in schools and colleges or when they apply for jobs. They have to run from pillar to post to get their work done, after providing court affidavit for getting residence and caste certificates, alleged Duryodhan Jena, another villager.
Not a single villager has been able to get a pucca house under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the last two years. As per guidelines of PMAY, identification of beneficiaries eligible for assistance is to be done using information from Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC).
As the villagers’ land comes under Taradipal revenue village in Pattamundai tehsil, the SECC list has been made by the Pattamundai tehsil. The tehsil submitted the SECC to Pattamundai block for preparing priority list to provide houses under rural housing scheme to the villagers.
Pattamundai block prepared a priority list of beneficiaries of Ghagaradiha villagers. But, as the voter identity card and Aadhaar of the villagers had address of Kendrapara block and the villagers exercise their franchise in Kendrapara block, they failed to avail the PMAY benefits, said Narayan Parida, former sarpanch of Ghagara.
Apart from this, the villagers, especially elderly persons, face a lot of problems in reaching Ghagara panchayat to collect rations and old age pension during the rainy season as the only way to go to the panchayat is to cross Brahmani by boat, Sarat Jena, a villager, said.
The village does not have a building for Anganwadi centre. There are two teachers for five classes at the Ghagaradiha Primary School. “We have taken up our plight umpteen times with the administration and elected representatives, but to no avail,” Duryodhan Jena, another villager, said.
The villagers urged the collector to ensure their village comes under the same block and tehsil.
Collector Reghu G said the matter has come to his notice and the administration would take steps to fulfill the villagers’ demands. PNN