No construction, no plot of homestead land and yet lakhs of rupees have been disbursed to beneficiaries for having built dwelling units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

It is all on pen and paper and fake photographs have been produced to avail the money alleged a few sarpanches and PRI members of Naugaon block here while seeking a probe.

They complained citing instances of such fake disbursement. Nearly fifty per cent of beneficiaries have not constructed any building but have taken the money by presenting photographs of some other house.

Interestingly, the plots which had been selected for construction of building under PMAY remain vacant. The PRI members cited an instance of two persons availing funds by showing the same plot of land and on the said plot no construction has taken place.

Sarpanch of Osakana panchayat Mrs Sagarika Behera and panchyat samiti member Mrs Jayanti Bhoi said ‘ these are only few examples but many beneficiaries of Osakana panchyat and other beneficiaries of Naugaon block have misappropriated lakhs of rupees under PMAY scheme by showing false and old photography of building.

They have taken instalments totalling to Rs 1.30 lakh per building. The PRI members have submitted a memorandum to the BDO, Naugaon to conduct an inquiry and recover the money.

If the authorities fail to do so we will launch an agitation, they said. The beneficiaries who have been received instalments for construction of building however countered all this and said the allegations by the sarpanch an others is baseless, politically biased.

BDO, Naugaon Mr Rajiv Lochan Singh has informed ‘administration has been received the allegation from sarpanch of Osakana panchyat regarding large number of irregularities of construction of building under PMAY. Steps have been taken to conduct an inquiry and action will be taken against errant beneficiaries if found guilty’.

It may be recalled that the scheme, launched in 2015, caters to the housing needs of mid-income group, economically weaker sections (EWS) and low-income group (LIG).

The Government envisages building affordable ‘’pucca’’ houses with water facility, sanitation and electricity supply. Under the scheme, a beneficiary gets Rs 1.3 lakh in instalment at each stage of construction of the house.