NORTH LAKHIMPUR, March 8 - A section of people of Bogoleejan village under Bogoleejan Gaon Panchayat have complained before the Deputy Commissioner here recently about alleged irregularities in the distribution of rural housing material under the Prime Minister�s Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
Interestingly, Bogoleejan village is located just five kilometres away from the district headquarters.
The complainants alleged that beneficiaries, who had earlier received assistance under the housing scheme known as Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), were again provided help under the PMAY-G by Gaon Panchayat representatives in number-2 ward of Bogoleejan Gaon Panchayat.
For example, Chamri Orang of number-2 ward of Bogoleejan Gaon Panchayat has been entitled to a house under PMAY-G scheme even though there has been a house in her husband Babu Orang�s name under the erstwhile IAY scheme.
Similar are the cases of Jogen Orang, Putul Orang and Nirmal Orang, who too have been allotted two houses each under the PMAY-G scheme under the same Gaon Panchayat.
Cases also abound in the village of incomplete IAY houses provided during the 2014-15 period. IAY houses allotted to beneficiaries like Tikla Orang, Dandi Orang, Pona Orang and Birsa Orang in 2014-15 are still half-constructed and in an incomplete condition.
The village under reference was devastated by last year�s deluge caused by a breach of the Ranganadi�s embankment, which damaged the households. The State government had announced compensation of Rs 3,200 for partially damaged houses. But there are complaints that even that amount was not disbursed properly by the concerned Gaon Panchayat officials among the victims. The Gaon Panchayat representatives are allegedly deducting Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 from the beneficiaries while disbursing the compensation, the complainants informed.
It may be recalled that Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) is a Centrally-sponsored rural housing scheme which was launched in Assam in 2016 for the construction of permanent houses for the rural poor.
Under the PMAY-G in Assam, the housing scheme beneficiaries get Rs 1.03 lakh as financial assistance along with Rs 12,000 under the Swachh Bharat Mission for building a toilet and Rs 18,000 under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).
The scheme has also extended the size of the housing unit from 20 sq metre during the earlier Indira Awas Yojana to 25 sq metre. PMAY-G also provides a provision of loan up to Rs 70,000 for further extension of the house. A loan of Rs 2 lakh taken in 2017 for home construction or extension will receive an interest subvention of 3 per cent.
