The Union and State Governments have set a target to provide houses to the poor under various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Rajiv Awas and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana by 2019.
However, they only proved to be gimmicks to create vote banks, as neither the Centre nor the State Government has kept its promises. On the effectiveness of the PMAY, Subarnapur district is a glaring example of failure.
The district is in 28th position in State, though Housing and Urban Development and Industries Minister Niranjan Pujari represents it.
lack of political will and effective mechanisms to select the beneficiaries are the prime reasons why the schemes are not properly implemented. Consequently, the schemes, which were launched with much fanfare and named after different leaders, have come in for serve flak from several quarters.
Some beneficiaries alleged that the distribution process of work order is deliberately delayed as the administration is waiting the present of local leader to distribute it. Meanwhile, former Congress MlA Binod Patra and former BJP district president Baldev Bedbak have sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, the Union Minister of Rural Development, the Chief Minister and an inquiry by the CBI into all irregularities in the schemes in Subarnapur district.
As per Government records, in 2017-18, 7,355 PMAY beneficiaries have been approved in the district. In 2017-18, Dunguripali block has received a targeted 1,535 PMAY approvals, Binka 1,148, Birmaharajpur 1,316, Ullunda 1,206, Tarbha 1,152 and Sonepur has 998. But 5,432 work orders have not been given as yet.