In spite of several changes,thePradhan MantriAwasYojana-Gramin(PMAY-G) is still not free from lapses in implementation in Rayagada.
There has been a sea change in the housing programme'sbudget, grant making procedures, quality and coverage. There are special provisions for Primarily Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs) earlier termed as primitive tribes, Left Wing Extremism(LWE) areas, beneficiaries of land under Forest Rights Act (FRA), Phailin-affected areas, etc.
The programme has been gender centric as well as isfocussed on socially excluded communities. To make the programme more transparent digital processes like phase-wise Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), monitoring the progress of the construction of the house through geo-tagging and online uploading, etc have been followed. Still a poor and eligible person has to run from pillar to post to avail a house.
In Rayagada, the completion of houses under PMAY for the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 were 7,882, 6,148 and 3,902 respectively. At the end of the financial year 2018-19, the number of incomplete house was 3,439. For the year 2019-2020, Rayagada district has a target of constructing and completing 14,000 houses under PMAY.
Taking into account, the 3,439 of houses carried forward from earlier financial years, Rayagada has to work on 17,419 houses in toto. Though this seems to be a mammoth task, Amrit Ruturaj, PD, DRDA has taken this as a challenge. He expects that the field offices at block level work with commitment to fulfil the target assigned to each block.
Rayagada Collector Pramod Kumar Behera is optimistic to reach the magic target number of 17,419 during 2019-20 in Rayagada.
“The new Government’s priority is housing for all by 2022. It is hoped that the Rayagada administration becomes committed and accountable to the policies framed by the Government to achieve good health and wellbeing through Sustainable Development Goals,” said former Rayagada Autonomous College Principal Dr K Salva Raju.