Suryap

Berhampur: Odisha government's 'Sarbakhyama Yojana' also known as the Amnesty Scheme to regularise unauthorised constructions in urban areas has failed to generate the desired response among the residents in Berhampur. This has now forced the Berhampur Development Authority (BeDA) to extend Amnesty scheme deadline by another six months.

While many residents claim that they were unaware about the scheme, the BeDA has urged people to take the benefit in extended period. Earlier, the last date to apply for the Amnesty Scheme was June 20. As many houses were built prior to the formation of the BeDA in 1993, the amnesty scheme was launched last year to allow house owners regularise unauthorised construction.

“We were not aware of the scheme as the same was not publicised by the concerned officials. No one from the development authority informed us about the scheme,” Bhabani Prasad Panda, a resident of Berhampur.

“We would have applied for the scheme had we knew about it. Now if a notification on extension of deadline has been issued by the BeDA, we will act upon that accordingly,” said Balaram Patnaik, another resident.

Meanwhile, the BeDA and the State Planning Board urged people to take the benefit of the scheme within the extended period.

“We introduced the Sarbakhyama Yojana, but there were not much takers of the scheme. Therefore, we request the residents of Chhatrapur, Gopalpur and Berhampur to apply for the scheme. The deadline has been extended for another six months,” informed Subash Moharana, chairperson of the Berhampur Development Authority.

Due to some reasons or the other, 90% people have not applied for the scheme. People must take the benefit of the scheme to regularise houses built in an unauthorised manner, said Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik, chairperson of the District Planning Board.

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