PMAY Scheme: Odisha Minister Ignores Women Beneficiaries’ Plea

Sonepur: The nonchalance of Commerce and Transport minister Padmanabha Behera has triggered resentment among the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) during his visit to Binika in Sonepur district on Monday.

According to reports, the minister during his visit to Binika last year had distributed the work order to women beneficiaries at the Town Hall for the construction of houses under PMAY. But, the beneficiaries could not avail the benefit due to the non-execution of work order.

Protesting the inordinate delay, women beneficiaries, during his visit on Monday, fell at his feet with a request to direct the authorities concerned to execute the work order. But, as the minister ignored their request, the irate beneficiaries returned him the work order.

“The district administration had told us to demolish our house for the construction of PMAY house and acting on the advice of the administration, we demolished our house with a hope that the PMAY house will be constructed. But, as the administration is yet to carry out the work order, we have no place to stay. We have been requesting the administration for the last one year to construct the house but to no avail. If this is the state of affairs, there is no point in keeping the work order with us. So we returned the work order to the minister. Such is the audacity of the minister that he paid no need to our request and went away telling us to do the needful,” said Manjula Naik, a beneficiary, to the media.

The minister was not available for comment on this matter.