Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed gross irregularities in the implementation of PM Awas Yojna in the state. The CAG report tabled in the state assembly on Thursday pointed out that some of the beneficiaries of the scheme got the amount for the houses twice, while some received the second installment late by one day to 1500 days.
The delay in payment of installment to beneficiaries has failed to translate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream to provide shelter to the roofless into reality. The mega scheme runs by the rural development department of the state, funded by the Government of India.
According to the report of the year 2021, the state government had failed to contribute its share to the scheme and as a result the beneficiaries got the amount late to construct their houses.
From the financial year 2016-2021, more than 25 lakh houses were sanctioned, in which more than 8 lakh people had got the second installment within the scheduled time period of 15 days, but more than 13 lakh beneficiaries got the installments late by one day to 1500 days.
.jpg)
18% houses incomplete
Of the period, more than 4.64 lakh houses remain incomplete which is around 18% of the total sanctioned houses under the scheme.
Rs 15 cr disbursed to ineligible beneficiaries
Carelessness in selecting the beneficiaries is also a big mistake of the panchayat officials. More than 2000 beneficiaries had been given the benefits who were having four wheelers, two wheelers and other vehicles. The government had paid more than Rs 15 crore to illegible beneficiaries. In village Dharmai of Dhar district, the owner of the house owned a high-end SUV.
The department had also allocated houses to those beneficiaries who had taken the benefit of the scheme. And also the benefit of the scheme was given to other family members, which is a violation of the norms of the scheme. All irregularities had happened, because the department was not having any method to check the irregularities.
More than 8.87 lakh houses were given on the names of husband and wife, 12.66 lakh houses were given only on the name of man, 1.37 lakh houses were given to only married women, and 3569 unmarried women also got the house. More than 2.29 lakh widow women also got the houses and there are 126 houses which are given to such people who are not specified in the scheme.
House serving purpose of garage, storehouse
While inspecting the houses, the CAG team found that the houses built for the residential purposes were serving different purposes. In Biaora district, they found a house being used as a store house where grain and cow dung cakes were stored. Similarly, in the Bhitarwar area of Gwalior, a house constructed under the scheme is being used as a garage.
