BJP Urges a CBI Investigation Into Alleged Irregularities In PMAY In Odisha

On Monday, the BJP’s branch in Odisha urged that the CBI conduct an investigation into any anomalies in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in that state.

Their demand came three days after J P Nadda, the national president of the BJP, warned that individuals responsible for anomalies in the PMAY implementation will face jail time while speaking at a rally in Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi district, on June 23.

Prithviraj Harichandan, the general secretary of the BJP’s chapter in Odisha, claimed during a press conference held here that the BJD’s top officials were charging beneficiaries of the PMAY between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 to receive a house.

Harichandan claimed that even though 9.5 lakh houses had been approved for Odisha, the state’s BJD administration had been holding up the distribution to deserving recipients.

He claimed that while many wealthy BJD supporters had received housing units under the PMAY programme, other eligible households had been denied them.

He asserted that when the BJP highlighted the matter of anomalies in the production of the list of beneficiaries in 2019, the state government established grievance boxes in every block and panchayat in February 2020.

“We demand a clarification from the state government on what action was taken about the grievances,” he said.

According to the BJP leader, the state administration should permit the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the alleged irregularities if it wants openness in the system.

If corrective action is not taken within a month, according to Harichandan, the BJP would gherao all the offices and move to the streets.

Pramila Mallik, a senior BJD leader, and minister, refuted the accusations and insisted that PMAY implementation in the state had not been irregular.

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