Beneficiaries Stage Dharna Against OSHB For Refusing To Allot Houses In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: After being denied allotment of houses by Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) under its scheme for economically weaker section, the beneficiaries staged a demonstration in front of the Board office, here on Tuesday.

The protesters told the media that 127 beneficiaries under the scheme had deposited Rs 4 lakh each for allotment of house with the Board since 2019. They made the deposit as per the instructions of the OSHB in its advertisement for houses in Dumuduma Phase-7 in the city in 2015.

They alleged that though the Board had assured them of providing the houses in 2019, now the authorities are expressing their inability to allot the houses and instead telling them to take back the deposited amount with interest.

Stating that the OSHB neglecting the housing needs of weaker sections of the society, they said the Board has already handed over the possession of HIG, MIG and LIG houses to the owners in the same phase of the construction.

Drawing the attention of the state government to their plight, the beneficiaries threatened of intensifying their agitation, if they are not allotted houses by the OSHB.