New Delhi: Odisha is moving towards the next phase of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), with physical verification of around 38 lakh surveyed households underway and the state government expecting to submit the final beneficiary list by August 27.
The issue was discussed when Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik met Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
According to Naik, the ongoing field verification is aimed at confirming the eligibility of households identified through the recent PMAY survey, including verification of their existing housing conditions.
The state government plans to complete the verification and scrutiny exercise by August 27. Following this, the authorised list of beneficiaries will be submitted to the Centre for further action.
The first phase of PMAY houses for Odisha is expected to be allocated in September, after which the process of providing houses to eligible beneficiaries can begin.
Chouhan appreciated the Odisha Government’s efforts in completing the survey and undertaking the verification process. Naik said the state would continue to ensure that the housing scheme reaches only eligible and deserving households.
₹5,000 Crore Rural Development Push
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of Viksit Bharat–Gram (VB-GRAM) in Odisha. Around ₹5,000 crore is envisaged to be spent in the state during the current financial year under the initiative.
The programme is expected to generate employment and support the development of useful infrastructure and community assets at the village and Gram Panchayat levels.
The two ministers discussed the need for effective implementation of the rural development initiatives and ensuring that the benefits of central schemes reach people in rural areas in a timely manner.
The meeting was attended by former Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan, other Members of Parliament from Odisha and Girish S.N., Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department.
The completion of the PMAY verification exercise by the August 27 deadline is expected to be a key step towards finalising beneficiaries and initiating the first phase of housing allocation in Odisha in September.
