PMAY politics: BJP, BJD spar over using their logos in affordable housing scheme

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday mounted an all-out attack on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for using the logo of Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) along with the logo of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). 

The saffron party said there should be only one logo and it is the logo of PMAY.  

“It (PMAY) is a sponsored programme of the Union government. In the presence of all the States, the NITI Ayog decided what would be the sharing (between the Centre and State). Because it is a Union government’s scheme for common people, no State is using its logo alongside the PMAY logo,” said BJP State general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan. 

He further added, “If the Biju Janata Dal is trying to make politics of it and trying to hijack it, Naveen Patnaik and his government will have to face the consequences.”

The BJD in its response said there is no reason for the BJP taking umbrage of the former’s using the BPGY logo along the side of the PMAY logo because the funds-sharing pattern is in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State. 

“During the period starting from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, even during the period of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it (housing scheme) used to be a 100 per cent centre sponsored programme. Now the ratio is 60:40. If the incentives provided by Naveen Babu are taken into consideration, the ratio will be something like 50:50,” said BJD spokesperson Debi Prasad Mishra. 

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj department Sushil Lohani briefed journalists on the selection procedure of PMAY beneficiaries. 

“Importance has been given to transparency. The Panchayat-wise and village-wise beneficiary lists will be displayed at every Panchayat office from tomorrow. The lists will also be on our website (rhodisha.gov.in). People can lodge their complaints between January 16 and 24. There will be specific boxes at Panchayat and block offices to receive complaints. We have also set up a call centre to receive complaints. People can also visit a specific portal to register their complaints,” said Lohani, adding work orders will be issued after the publication of the final lists. 

(Reported by Harihara Chand, OTV)