Bhadrak: Even as the Centre lays a lot of stress on proper and timely execution of its flagship Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), so as to achieve the aim of ‘Housing for All’ by 2022, its implementation in Bhadrak district is miserable, a report said.
The district had lagged behind 24 other districts while beneficiaries were accused of failing to carry out housing units despite having received work orders. The district was placed at 25 in terms of PMAY execution in 2018-20 fiscal even though the administration has been routinely reviewing its progress.
Even the block and the district level officials have to come to the field to push beneficiaries to carry on their work so that the housing target can be achieved.
According to reports, now district-level officials have to make field visits and carry out door-to-door counselling three to four days a week.
Accompanied by block-level officers, panchayat GRSs and executive officers, they advise beneficiaries to complete their housing work.
Sambalpur tops the list in PMAY execution while Bhadrak was ranked 25. According to the district review report, 29,429 housing units were allotted in 7 blocks.
Only 15 days are left for the end of the current financial year, but only 42.48 per cent of the housing target has been achieved.
It was learnt that work of 11,057 units have not started. First instalments of the PMAY fund have been provided to 2295 beneficiaries in Basudevpur; 1037 in Bhadrak; 812 in Bhandaripokhari; 1211 in Bant; 2775 in Chandbali; 1161 in Dhamnagar and 1766 in Tihidi, but they have not started their housing work.
Besides, the BDO and other staff of the block administration have been visiting the houses of beneficiaries regularly, insisting on quick completion of work.
APD Rajendra Panda said beneficiaries are sensitized about the need for on-time completion of their houses, but they are delaying on various pleas. BDOs are routinely reviewing the PMAY implementation, he added.
