Misuse of housing funds: 23 cases detected in Barmer, FIRs filed
While the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) aims to ensure ‘housing for all’ in the country by 2022, the scheme is allegedly being misused by many. The authorities have discovered as many as 23 cases in Barmer district in which the so-called beneficiaries have siphoned off more than ₹20 lakh received under the PMAY.
“We have lodged FIR in 23 cases in which beneficiaries have siphoned off PMAY funds,” said Jitendra Singh Sandu, the block development officer of Dhannau panchayat samiti in Barmer district. Sandu said that in many cases officials personally approached the beneficiaries and requested them to utilise the PMAY funds according to directions, but their requests went unheeded.
“Finally, we have lodged FIRs against those who have misused the funds,” he said, adding that the situation is almost same in all villages.
Earlier, on being found eligible under the PMAY scheme, the authorities sanctioned first instalment to the beneficiaries for construction of houses.
BARMER:
However, instead of utilising the funds for starting construction of houses, the beneficiaries misappropriated the funds.
“After release of the funds, during inspection at ground we found that many beneficiaries did not start construction of houses,” said Sandu, adding that in many cases the beneficiaries siphoned off the first instalment.
“There are many who have utilised the first instalment and started construction, but siphoned off the second instalment,” he said.
Giving details of the siphoned off money, Sandu said one beneficiary at Taalsar gram panchayat, five at Gohad Ka Tala and 11 at Sarupe Ka Tala siphoned off ₹15.30 lakh. Similarly, six beneficiaries at Itada panchayat siphoned off ₹5.40 lakh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PMAY in June 2015 with the aim of constructing more than two-crore houses across the country within a span of next seven years.