Odisha CM disburses Rs 3,000 each to 3.1 mn families for house repair

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday disbursed financial assistance of Rs 3,000 each to the beneficiaries of the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) towards repair of their houses.

Total assistance of Rs 1,444 crore was directly credited to the bank accounts of 31 lakh families, Patnaik said.

The state government will soon provide Rs 5,000 each to the 12.25 lakh households who have been denied a pucca house under the Pradham Mantri Aawas Yojana (Gramin), the chief minister said.

Bank account details are being collected and they will be given Rs 5,000 each to repair their houses, he said.

The state government is committed to its pledge taken in 2014 to convert all kutcha houses to pucca houses, Patnaik said.

Though houses in 14 districts were damaged in cyclone Fani in 2019, the affected people are yet to get any assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) till date, he said.

Besides, the tribal and poor people of the western and southern regions of the state are also waiting to get pucca houses under PMAY, he added.

The opposition BJP and Congress criticised the BJD government, accusing it of bribing people ahead of the panchayat and civic body polls.

"The BJD is doing its election campaign through this scheme," alleged BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra.

Congress leader Dabasis Pattnaik said it was a bribe to the voters ahead of the elections.