Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include about 6 lakh identified eligible households of Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) for the districts not affected by cyclone Fani.
In a letter, the CM said the State has identified the left-out eligible households through State-developed RH Portal observing the procedure similar to Aawaas+ in the 16 districts where the process of identification could not be taken up.
“Aawaas+ window was opened by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India only for 14 Cyclone "FANI" affected districts for a period of one month. The process of identification could not be taken up in the remaining 16 districts not affected by Cyclone "Fani”. These are predominantly tribal dominated districts and cover all the KBK areas,” the CM wrote.
Also Read
Patnaik urged the PM to direct the rural development ministry to open Aawaas+ window for the entire State for one month, to migrate data of identified eligible households, citing that it will be a 'pragmatic step towards achieving Safe housing for all’.
The CM also thanked the PM for allotting 8.17 lakh PMAY (G) houses in favour of Odisha which he said will provide shelter and security to the cyclone "Fani" affected families.
Reacting to the letter of the CM, BJP state general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan said the State government has started a political drama and it is unwanted.
He questioned when had cyclone hit districts like Malkangiri, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj as claimed by the State government and alleged lakhs of houses were allotted in these districts?
He demanded that the houses sanctioned by the Centre must be allotted to the eligible beneficiaries and stringent action initiated against those involved in earlier housing scams.