Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu on Saturday said selection of Mo Kudia beneficiaries would be made on the basis of recommendations of the MlAs.

The Government would change the guidelines for the purpose, he assured. He, however, dubbed the Opposition’s allegation as baseless that huge corruptions were taking place in the distribution of houses under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Mo Kudia scheme. Notably, the two schemes are meant to provide houses to the homeless BPl and poorer sections.

Replying during a debate in the Assembly, Sahu said order would be issued to include the representatives of the MlAs in every Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha for the implementation of any scheme, including the selection of beneficiaries for the IAY and Mo Kudia.

The Minister said beneficiaries for the Mo Kudia and IAY are selected through the Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha and it is supervised through periodic meetings by the Zilla Parishad and the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

Participating in the debate Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that the Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha were not being conducted and one has to bribe the officials to get a house under the two schemes.

He said the poor people were being exploited in the name of IAY and urged the Government to change the guidelines for allotment of houses under these schemes.

Bhujabal Majhi of Congress said middle men were siphoning of the money released for construction of houses without ever constructing them. Even in some cases, some people are found taking more than one houses in violation of the rule, he charged.

His party colleague Devendra Sharma said the Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha and social review of the schemes were being held in pen and paper only. On the contrary, the houses under the schemes were being given on political consideration, he said.

However, Prafulla Samal of BJD said money for the  construction of houses should be directly transferred to the account of the beneficiaries to eliminate allegation of

corruption.