Centre scuttles Odisha govt’s transfer to co-brand PMAY, BJP calls for removing of Biju emblem

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: With the Centre scuttling the transfer of the Odisha authorities to co-brand the agricultural housing scheme underneath the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) with the state scheme — Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) — the opposition BJP on Wednesday created a ruckus within the Assembly demanding quick removing of plaques containing the BPGY emblem.

As quickly because the Assembly began for the day, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik drew the eye of Speaker SN Patro to the letter written by Union Rural Development Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha to the state authorities refusing permission to co-brand PMAY-G homes.

Naik urged the Speaker to direct the state authorities to take away the BPGY emblem failing which BJP members wouldn’t permit any transaction of enterprise in the home.

Dubbing the co-branding of PMAY-G homes by the BJD authorities a misleading motion designed to say credit score for a centrally sponsored welfare scheme, he stated the BJP has been protesting on the difficulty for fairly someday however the ruling social gathering has brazened it out violating the prevailing norms.

“We will continue our protest both inside and outside the Assembly till the state government plays according to the rules and removes the BPGY logo from the PMAY-G houses,” Naik advised reporters exterior the Assembly.

Even because the BJP continued to protest on the difficulty, the state authorities in December final yr had directed all Collectors and Project Directors of the district rural growth company (DRDA) to finish co-branding of all of the PMAY (G) and BPGY homes by the top of February this yr.

“The plaque containing emblem of involved schemes needs to be affixed on all of the PMAY (G) and BPGY homes by finish of February 2021,” Director (particular tasks) of Panchayati Raj and Drinking division Arindam Dakua wrote in a letter.

Enclosing a revised design of the plaque within the official round, Dakua had stated that the co-branding needs to be undertaken in these homes accomplished after monetary yr 2014-15.

Thw transfer led the BJP to method Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal looking for his intervention to the deliberate try of the state authorities to mislead the individuals about PMAY-G in violation of the federal construction.

Recently, a delegation of BJP MPs led by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had additionally met Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and sought his intervention to the evident inconsistencies and irregularities within the collection of beneficiaries and use of state authorities emblem prominently on PMAY-G homes.

Earlier, Odisha Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena had advised the Assembly that there’s nothing mistaken in utilizing the ‘Biju’ emblem on homes constructed underneath PMAY because the state’s share within the rural housing scheme comes round 51 per cent (Rs 10,000 incentive) and 56 laptop (Rs 20,000 incentive). The state authorities gives incentive to beneficiaries on well timed completion.

Congress members protest energy tariff hike

Congress members led by Tara Prasad Bahinipati voiced their protest towards the ability tariff hike by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission and severely criticised the state authorities for placing additional monetary burden on the customers, who’re but to get well from the Covid-19 disaster.

After repeated adjournments, the Speaker referred to as for an all-party assembly to resolve the tangle. As the opposition members didn’t permit him to conduct the proceedings of the House in a traditional method, Patro adjourned the pre-lunch session until 4 pm.