ALLEGATIONS OF IRREGULARITIES IN PM AWAS YOJANA

ALLEGATIONS OF IRREGULARITIES IN PM AWAS YOJANA

30-OCT-ENG 13

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------Serious allegations of irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have surfaced, raising questions about the transparency of the housing scheme in the district.

According to the allegations highlighted in a recent report, names of people owning as much as 200 to 300 bighas of agricultural land have allegedly been included in the housing beneficiary list, while genuinely poor and homeless families continue to wait for assistance.

The issue has raised concerns over the verification process followed by the concerned authorities while preparing the list of beneficiaries. The inclusion of financially well-off landowners, if established, would indicate serious lapses in the identification of eligible households.

The central objective of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is to provide permanent houses to economically weaker and homeless families. Any irregularity in beneficiary selection could deprive deserving people of the benefits of this important welfare programme.

The allegations have also brought the role of local officials and panchayat-level authorities under scrutiny. Questions are being raised about whether proper field verification and scrutiny of applicants' financial and property records were carried out before finalising the list.

Residents are demanding an impartial inquiry, removal of ineligible beneficiaries and inclusion of genuinely deserving families. They have also called for accountability wherever irregularities are established.

The district administration and the concerned authorities are expected to examine the allegations and ensure that the benefits of the housing scheme reach those who genuinely need them.