 Vinod Sharma
Early Times Report
KATHUA, Oct 21: The construction of houses under Indira Awas Yojna scheme which has now renamed as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna in Block Kathua has become headache for more than one dozen Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, whose half constructed houses have been waiting completion for the last nearly two years.
Sources said that there were many families, living Below Poverty Line (BPL) in Kathua, out of which only 16 families were selected for construction of houses under IAY in year 2014-15.
Under the scheme, Block Development Office (BDO) provides a total of Rs. 75000 in three installments.
A resident of Chak Desa Singh, which falls under block Kathua said that he had started construction work of one room, two years back as government had promised to provide financial help of Rs. 75000. "I received only two installments which turn out to be Rs. 50,000, in which I raised the walls of room but due to non release of third installment, the lentil work could not be completed.
Another, aggrieved resident alleged that he had to borrow from his relatives for lentil work and on the promise to return the same after the installment was released.
"But due to apathetic attitude of Rural Development department, installment is not being released, creating very humiliating situation for me and my family", he said.
He further said that the construction of these houses has become headache for all those BPL families, for whom houses were sanctioned as it was very difficult to complete these houses.
Sarpanch of Chak Desa Singh, Dilip Singh said that it was a serious matter for which he had also called on BDO Kathua and apprised him about the pending installments. "Once again, I had taken the matter with Additional Deputy Commissioner Kathua but got only assurances", he said, adding that the last installment was released by the department in the month of March and third installment was pending.
Block Development Officer Kathua, Omdutt Atri said that the funds were not released by the higher authorities. "It is not in Kathua block alone but in all the blocks of state", he said, adding that whenever the installment would be released, same would be given to the beneficiaries. |
