Balangir: Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday accused the previous BJD government in Odisha of favouring land, sand, coal and mining mafias at the cost of the poor, alleging large-scale irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Addressing a public meeting in Balangir after handing over work orders to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the construction of five lakh houses under PMAY-Gramin, Chouhan alleged that thousands of deserving poor families had been deprived of pucca houses during the previous regime.
He accused the erstwhile government of including ineligible beneficiaries in the housing scheme through fraudulent means, thereby denying houses to genuinely needy families.
“The previous BJD government worked for the welfare of the mafia and not for the poor,” Chouhan said, adding that investigations into the implementation of PMAY had exposed a major scam.
Assuring that the present BJP government would address the shortcomings, the Union Minister said no eligible beneficiary would be denied a house under the scheme.
He also announced that the Centre was planning a pilot initiative to help more families escape poverty and expressed his desire to launch the project in Balangir district. He invited the Chief Minister and concerned ministers to Delhi for discussions on the proposal.
Chouhan claimed that more than 49 crore people had come out of poverty over the past decade through various initiatives of the Narendra Modi government.
Highlighting women’s economic empowerment, he said around 29 lakh women in Odisha had already become ‘Lakhpati Didis’ and expressed confidence that every woman in the state would eventually achieve the status.
The Centre had earmarked Rs 10 lakh crore over the next five years to facilitate the creation of more Lakhpati Didis, he added.
The Union Minister also praised Odisha’s progress under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, saying he had noticed several rooftop solar installations while travelling by helicopter to Balangir.
He congratulated the Majhi government for the initiative and said the scheme would help illuminate households across Odisha.
Chouhan further said the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana would be implemented extensively in the state to strengthen rural road connectivity and facilitate farmers’ access to markets and other essential services.
