The Central Government sponsored Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) is in a mess in most of the villages in Garadapur block with rampant corruption. Sources alleged that large scale irregularities have taken place in the allotment of houses to a few BPl cardholders in Udayagiri village under Nadiabarei gram panchayat.
According to sources, one Keluni Parida, a widow of Udayagiri village, alleged that her IAY benefit was siphoned off. Keluni alleged that she had applied for obtaining a house under IAY scheme in 2007-08. later, the officials of Garadpur block had visited her house, cross checked her documents and approved her case to get the IAY cheque within a fortnight. When three months passed and she failed to get the benefit, she approached the authorities at the Garadpur block. There she came to know that somebody allegedly had duped her entitlement.
“As I am a widow and do not have anybody to help me, somebody in league with a few unscrupulous officials swindled my IAY house by misusing my BPl card number,” said Parida.
Similarly, such is the fate of another fellow villager Niranjan Parida of Udayagiri village. In order to get the Government dole, he had applied for IAY house on his BPl card. After filing his application, a political leader of the locality came to his house and demanded Rs 5,000 as bribe for providing him the IAY benefit. But when he expressed his helplessness, he was told that he would not get the benefit. And, a few days later, he found that the leader was not wrong.
When he wanted to know why he did not get the benefit, to his surprise, he came to know that in his BPl card number red ink mark had been made. He asked the official of Garadapur block, why red mark had been made on his BPl card. The officials told him the red mark indicates that he had been allotted IAY house.
He complained before the block authority that he did not get any cheque under IAY. He filed a petition before the BDO, the District Collector and local MlA alleging that he had been taken for ride.
Though several months have passed, but he is yet to get any positive response from anyone. Similarly, the IAY of Surendra Parida of Udayagiri village was duped by another person as he failed to provide bribe to a local leader and employees of Garadapur block.
Meanwhile, the BPl card holders, who were deprived of the benefit, told they were to seek justice from the High Court. The beneficiaries, who were reaping IAY benefit in most of the blocks at Kendrapada were Government employees, school teachers, contractors, businessmen and ruling party men, whereas the farmers and daily labourers were deprived of the benefit, said District Krushak Sabha secretary Gayadhar Dhal. When contacted, District Collector Niranjan Nayak informed that nobody had filed any complaint in this regard.