BJP threatens to gherao Naveen Niwas in case of PMAY lapses

Accusing the Odisha government of misusing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to gain political mileage, the state wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday threatened to gherao Naveen Niwas, the official residence of CM Naveen Patnaik, if the government deprives eligible beneficiaries from getting pucca houses under the flagship programme.

The State BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan issued this statement at a press meet. 

BJP claimed that as many as 1.5 lakh beneficiaries were in the waiting list in 2019 to avail pucca houses under the scheme. But it’s a matter a shame that those names are yet to be included in the list and they should be included without delay, the party maintained.

Besides, it has asked the government to keep the identity of whistle-blowers anonymous and PMAY logo should be used in all constructed houses. 

“BJP is not going to tolerate any kind of lapses. We need complete transparency. Earlier Centre had issued a letter to the state government making it clear that the nomenclature should not be changed in the national flagship programme at any cost. If Naveen Patnaik-led government does not stop hijacking the central government scheme, the BJP will launch massive protests.”

Moreover, the party demanded that people, who have asbestos houses, should also be included in the beneficiary list. 

On the other hand, the ruling-BJD responded saying that the state government is also bearing more than 50% cost of the house; if one takes into account the administrative costs & incentives.

BJD leader Prafulla Samal said, “Not BJD, it is BJP which is copying Odisha’s scheme.”

Reported by Harihar Chand, OTV