Though Keonjhar has been awarded as the best district for successfully implementing rural housing schemes in the tribal areas, there was massive corruption in the schemes as well.
A few examples could be eye openers to the housing scam. In the tribal inhabited Baragarh panchayat of Banspal block, about 45 families belonging to Juang primitive tribe living in Saria,Hatisila and Tala Bali have been allotted 133 houses under rural housing schemes for the poor. It is found that funds were sanctioned repeatedly in name of the same family by changing the address and place for building the houses. Actually no trace of these houses is found which has been completed on records and full expenditure has been made for the purpose.
Interestingly, Rupei Juanga, wife of Naku Juanga of Saria village, was allotted houses twice under the Biju Pacca Gruha Yojona. She was first allotted a house in 2014-15 vide work order no:OR03-007-002-008/0128.
Again in the same year she was given another Biju Pucca house vide order OR03-007-002-008/223. She was paid Rs 75,000 in three installments by the block office through RTGS no: RTG 201,767, 2115 for construction of same house.
For the second order she was again paid Rs 75,000 in three instalments vide RTG 305, 767 and 2231. Cunningly, the two houses were sanctioned in the name of same beneficiary first showing her as a female and in another as a male. By sanctioning 133 houses for only 45 families more than Rs 1 crore has been misappropriated in this panchayat only, it is alleged.
The irony is that in spite of providing 133 houses in this panchayat, still 90 per cent of the families are deprived of a pucca house even today.
Golok Palei, son of Bagal Palei, resident of Gopopur village under Taramakant Panchayat, has been allotted two Biju Pacca houses in 2014-15. First he was given a house vide order OR03-007-020-003/8978 and paid Rs 75,000. Again he has been paid for a Biju pucca house vide order OR03-007-020-003-12209. At least five names have been duplicated and sanctioned Biju pucca house twice in Taramakant panchayat and welfare funds were misappropriated.
Sanu Dehuri , son of Danar Dehuri of Hatisila village, Banspal block was sanctioned to build a house vide order OR03-007-002-004/520 in 2014-15. Again another house was sanctioned in favour of same Sanu Dehuri in Kapatadiha village vide order OR03-007-002-006/2016 and full payment was made through bank. Meanwhile, Keonjhar Collector N Thirumalla Naik has ordered an inquiry into this scam and assured that steps would be taken against the culprits. The BJP local unit has demanded a Vigilance inquiry into the matter.
The state has launched the Biju Pucca Gruha scheme against Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) funded by Centre to bungle the Central funds meant for upliftment of the poor, alleged BJP district president Radhakanta Nayak.
A detail investigation of rural housing through IAY and Biju Pucca Yojna in the last 15 years can unearth rampant corruption in Keonjhar district, Dhirendra Rout from the Progressive Citizens’ Forum demanded.