Beneficiaries signed forms, still awaiting houses

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 5: During the previous Congress regime in Assam, large-scale anomalies in allotting houses for beneficiaries under Indira Awaas Yojo (IAY) were reported on many occasions. Many deserving beneficiaries were deprived of getting IAY houses, making an utter mockery of this flagship scheme of the earlier UPA government at the Centre.

Under Kalaigaon Development Block’s Chengapather Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) in Udalguri district, IAY houses in fincial year 2015-16 were allotted in the me of 17 beneficiaries of Uttar Bokrajhar, Khas Ranthali, Khas Bokrajhar, Ojagaon, Ranthali Bagicha, No.1 Kalaigaon and Bokrajhar Bagicha.  

All the 17 beneficiaries have alleged that the then VCDC chairman Latik Deka th took sigtures from them on withdrawal forms for the first installment, but construction of IAY houses allotted to them are yet to start.

The beneficiaries said a complaint against th was lodged at Kalaigaon police station and a written complaint was given to the Udalguri deputy commissioner and Kalaigaon block development officer for taking action against the VCDC chairman concerned in this regard, but no action has been taken against him till date. It may be mentioned that th has several other corruption charges against him.

The IAY, which has been remed as Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yoja (PMGAY), is a social welfare flagship programme of the Central government to provide housing for the rural poor in the country. Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal launched PMGAY (Gramin) on January 19 in Assam. Under this scheme, currently Rs 1.30 lakh is being sanctioned for each beneficiary. Earlier, Rs 75,000 was sanctioned for each beneficiary to build the house.

On this issue, the Gatantrik Adhikar Sangram Samity has threatened to launch a statewide protest. “Chief Minister Sonowal recently talked about rooting out corruption in implementation of this scheme in the State and has also taken a few steps in this regard at grassroots level. But corruption is still continuing. The government must look into this issue seriously,” said the GASS.