Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Law and Housing and Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena on Wednesday told the State Assembly that henceforth, both PMAY and BPGY logos would be put on the houses provided to people under the rural housing schemes.
The Minister said this while replying to an Adjournment Motion titled “Why the Government is naming PMSY houses as BPGY” brought by BJP members.
The Minister further informed that Government has simplified payment of installments to beneficiaries through mobile apps and to put boxes at block offices for receiving fresh proposals from people to get houses.
He said beneficiaries who had received an installment under the Indira Awas Yojan but failed to construct house would be re-allotted a house under the PMAY or BPGY if he returns the IAY installment money and applies for a fresh house.
The Government is giving priority on providing land and house to the landless, he said.
He said the State Government is putting the name of Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana on PMAY houses because it bears 40 per cent of the cost. If incentives are added, the State share would be 44 per cent, he said.
While BJP members had earlier alleged that figures of construed houses are not true, the Minister said, “The Centre has already awarded Odisha for securing first position in construction of highest number of houses.”
Earlier BJP Chief Whip Mohan Charan Majhi demanded that the Government provide a detailed list of houses constructed under different rural housing schemes. Mukesh Mahaling and Bhaskar Madhei had alleged that there has been irregularities in allotment of houses. Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Nayak demanded that the Government soon exclude ineligible beneficiaries.
Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja, Mohammad Moquim and Tara Prasad Bahinipati slammed both the BJD and the BJP for fighting to name houses saying the scheme was first named Indira Awas Yojan and later changed to PMAY.
BJD members Ashwini Kumar Patra, Ramesh Sai and Prafulla Samal refuted the charges made by the Opposition members.
Almost all participating members demanded that all MLAs be given power to allot more than 300 houses in their respective constituencies.
During the Minister’s reply, BJP members staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over Minister’s reply