Irregularities detected in allotment of PMAY fund in Buxar

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Buxar : The benefit of Prime Minister Awas Yojna (PMAY) is hardly reaching the homeless people in Buxar district. A woman has got the benefit of thrice while others are unable to get even a single.

Rita Devi, mukhia Dullahpur panchayat under Simari block in Buxar district, changed the name of her husband thrice to get the benefit of PMAY thrice. She got the benefit of the PMAY in 2007-2008 first by showing the name of her husband as Deepak Paswan. In 2013-2014, she again got the benefit by showing her husband’s name as Bhikhari Paswan and for the third time in 2015-16 by changing her husband’s name to Munna Paswan. Villagers had requested the DM, SDO and the BDO to inquire into the matter several times alleging that the present mukhia had benefited from PMAY thrice by changing the names of her husband.

BDO, Simari Block, Archana Kumari, said that it is a serious matter but nothing could be said without thorough investigation into. She said that an inquiry committee is being formed to look into the matter.

Eighteen 18 persons including half a dozen ward councillors of Dullahpur panchayat have submitted a signed petition to Buxar Raman Kumar requesting him to take action against the present mukhia Rita Devi.

They disclosed that Rita Devi, wife of Deepak Paswan, got fund under PMAY from the  Union Bank of India branch, Chakani, in 2008. In 2013-2014, she again received the fund under the PMAY from Punjab National Bank branch, Balihar, this time changing the name of her husband as Bhikhari Paswan while the fact is that Bhikhari Paswan had died three years ago. Her name was shown at no 55 in the list of beneficiaries. Rita Devi once again changed the name of her husband to Munna Paswan and got the benefit of the PMAY in 2015-2016. Dipak Paswan is brother-in-law ( Devar) of Rita Devi, who was unmarried in 2008. A photograph of Rita Devi was allegedly pasted in the application of Deepak Paswan.

The matter came to light after Deepak Kumar of Pandeypur village in Dullahpur panchayat sought information from the Simari BDO under the Right to Information Act (RTI) regarding irregularities in the allotment of PMAY.

That apart, Rita’s father-in-law, Nanhak Paswan, brothers-in-law, Bihari Paswan, Deepak Paswan and Heera Lal Paswan, 18 year old nephew Rahul Kumar and other relatives have also succeeded in getting the benefits under PMAY.

When contacted, Rita Devi said all the procedures were followed for the PMAY and she is ready to face any probe. She said she got benefit of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in the name of her husband in  2010 and added it was a matter of inquiry as to how her photograph was pasted in the wife’s column of her brother-in-law. She stated all the members of her family live separately. She blamed the former mukhia for all the irregularities.