Odisha completes 12.34 units under rural housing schemes in

Odisha completed construction of 12.34 lakh units under the rural housing schemes since 2014-15, official sources said.
This was revealed by Chief Secretary A P Padhi who reviewed progress in the rural housing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana and two others.
While reviewing the district wise progress of the schemes, he directed all the collectors and project directors to firmly implement all transparency measures and closely monitor the field level execution.
Padhi also asked the district authorities to publicize the priority list at gram panchayat and village levels and strictly adhere to it. Collectors were told not to deviate from the priority list while sanctioning new housing units, said Panchayati Raj Secretary DRK Singh.

Singh suggested the collectors to ensure timely payment of bills and incentives to the beneficiaries. "Timely payment of incentives would motivate other beneficiaries to complete their houses in time," he said.
The state govenrment has declared an incentive of Rs 20,000 for the beneficiaries who complete their houses within 4 months of the issue of work order and Rs 10,000 for those complete house construction within 6 months of the work order.

Singh said that so far around 28,000 beneficiaries were given incentives.
Padhi said each housing beneficiary would be facilitated to create one livelihood asset through convergence with MGNREGS and National Rural Livelihood Mission. They would be provided assistance to construct the assets like cowshed, goat-shed and vermin compost unit on their land as an additional source of livelihood.

The programme has been started from Khordha and Bolangir districts on experimental basis, Singh said adding that it would be extended to other districts during this year.
Official sources said, till August 24, 2017, a total number of 12,34,744 housing units had been completed under the schemes like Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, India Awas Yojana and Nirma Shramik Pucca Ghar Yojana. Target has been set to complete around 6 lakh houses during the current year.