Bhubaneswar: In a major New Year initiative aimed at providing shelter to the poor, the Odisha government will distribute 10 lakh pucca houses in the month of January, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik announced on Friday. Describing it as a New Year gift for economically weaker sections, the Minister said the government is committed to ensuring that no eligible beneficiary is deprived of housing support.
The Minister informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the state has received 27 lakh online applications so far. Out of these, 34 lakh beneficiaries have been shortlisted and the list has already been submitted to the Central Government for approval. The final list is expected to be received within the current month, following which work orders will be issued gradually for the construction of pucca houses. In the first phase itself, the government has set a target to distribute 10 lakh houses.
Naik said that during the previous government, several eligible beneficiaries were deprived of pucca houses. He assured that the current government has maintained strict departmental vigilance to ensure that all eligible families receive housing benefits this time. He further stated that even those eligible persons who are excluded from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for any reason will be provided pucca houses by the state government. This decision has already been approved by the state cabinet.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced that homeless poor families will be covered under the Antyodaya Yojana. Houses under this scheme will be constructed in a manner similar to PMAY, with financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh per beneficiary. The government has set a target to construct at least 2.25 lakh new pucca houses under the Antyodaya Yojana over the next three years.
The Minister added that, like PMAY, incentives will also be provided under the Antyodaya Yojana for early completion of houses. Beneficiaries who complete construction within four months will receive a bonus of ₹20,000, while those completing it within six months will get ₹10,000.
To widen the scheme’s reach, the definition of family under the Antyodaya Yojana has been simplified to include husband, wife, dependent parents, and children. This move is expected to benefit newly formed families as well. The total expenditure for the Antyodaya Yojana has been estimated at ₹7,550 crore, the Minister said.
