M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, July 10: The Deputy development commissioner, Megha Bhardwaj, a 2016 batch IAS officer, and her team are ready to take on 4,599 beneficiaries of the PM Awas Yojna Gramin (PMAY G) head-on who have taken undue liberty with the PM Awas Yojna Gramin.
These beneficiaries have gulped down government money and have abandoned the construction of the Awas under this Yojna. Their Awas is too far from completion. It is a picture of total disowning and abandonment on their part.
The beneficiaries are from the financial years 2016–17 down to 2021. Sources said they wear no-fault or guilt on their faces.
Lagatar24.com approached Megha Bhardwaj through Whatsapp messages today to know how she and her DRDA team would move to press these defaulter beneficiaries to complete their Awas, for which many are the recipients of the first instalment worth Rs 40,000 each and many are even the recipients of the second instalment worth Rs 85,000.
DDC Megha Bhardwaj said, “These people are charged with two counts of violations of the agreement—first, diverting the fund and second, their callous indifference to building Awas.” They diverted funds intended for their Awas to other uses. The number of such beneficiaries is as high as 2,904. These beneficiaries enjoyed our Awas fund and spent it on things other than the Awas. It is a breach of trust and agreement too. ”
Bhardwaj said that they could not get away easily. They had taken it for granted that nothing bad would happen to them. She said her team would soon unsettle them with their slew of actions.
She added that 1,695 beneficiaries are unwilling to build their Awas under the PMAYG.
DDC said these beneficiaries have abandoned constructing Awas. They have a roof other than this Awas. sources said
Bhardwaj said people who have diverted the fund and are now unwilling to complete their Awas will be held accountable for their misdoings.
“The task is not simple. It is enormous, “Bhardwaj said. “We would proceed to cancel their Awas step by step but definitely.”
Sources said the cancellation of the 4,599 Awas which are left incomplete by the beneficiaries will not make much difference to these people unless they are asked to repay the instalments received by them with interest, said sources.
They added that government money can be retrieved only by invoking sections of the Public Demand Recovery Act, which is a long-drawn battle. The cancellation proposal would be passed in the Gram Sabha meetings first.
Bhardwaj said their next step is to invoke the Public Demand Recovery Act, called in common lingo, Certificate Case, but before this, the 4,599 beneficiaries would be served with notices from the district.
Sources said it is a no-win situation for the administration since these beneficiaries are thick-skinned enough to duck any action.
On being asked why she took it upon herself to see this racket of incomplete Awas under the PMAYG busted, Megha Bhardwaj said there is no harm in going all out for it.
