Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 29: The State Government has misused the funds of the Centrally sponsored Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) meant for the construction and up-gradation of houses of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in Jammu district by helping Above Poverty Line (APL) families with these funds.
The report did not rule out multiple assistance availed by same beneficiary as the department has failed to maintain the records at the block or district level of the beneficiaries.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Jammu district has found that in six blocks of Jammu district, 170 beneficiaries of the housing scheme during 2006-2010 were not BPL families but APL families. The report says that none of these beneficiaries figured in the BPL families of 2002 survey to whom Rs 0.41 crore was provided in gross violation of the IAY guidelines.
The report further says during 2006-2010, 72 other beneficiaries having concrete houses were provided an assistance of Rs 0.20 crore in gross violations of the IAY guidelines as the assistance is to be given to those having mud houses.
The BDOs admitted that survey of the houses was not conducted before providing them assistance.
The report says that in six blocks the beneficiaries have been paid excess payment against the norms set by the Government of India. As per the scheme Rs 15000 was to be provided to the beneficiaries for the upgradation of their semi-concrete houses to concrete houses. But report reveals that 213 beneficiaries have been paid between Rs 25000 to Rs 30000 that led to excess payment of Rs 0.33 crores.
The CAG report finds that 390 beneficiaries in 8 blocks in Jammu have abandoned the construction and upgradation of the houses after receiving the first installments.
The report reveals that data regarding the houses constructed under the IAY scheme has not been maintained by the concerned authorities at the block or district level. The report does not rule out multiple assistance availed by same beneficiary.
The report says that the department has failed to utilize the funds under the scheme as the targets set up in the annual district plans have never been achieved. This has led to the increase of unspent balances from Rs 3 lakh in March 2006 to Rs 3.5 crore in March 2011.
The department had set up a target of 9305 beneficiaries in 2010-2011 but has achieved only 3755 which is only 40 percent of the target. In 2009-2010, the target was set at 10649 but only 3159 was achieved which is only 30 percent of the target and in 2008-2009, the target was set at 5371 and achievement was 1087 which is only 20 percent of the target.
The report says that despite availability of sufficient funds, works had not been taken up to the targeted extent and those taken up have not been completed.
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