PATNA: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has raised concerns about irregularities in the implementation of the PMAY-G scheme in Bihar. Allegations include the sanctioning of pucca houses to minors and geo-tagging of houses located in Delhi and Jharkhand.
The findings were presented in the state Assembly on Thursday. According to the report, “During the audit of sampled districts, instances were found where houses were sanctioned to ineligible beneficiaries. The PMAY-G does not allow the registration of houses to minors unless specific conditions are met. In September 2017, the central government clarified that if both beneficiaries (husband and wife) were deceased, a minor child could be granted a house jointly with a guardian after verification. However, the audit revealed four cases of minor beneficiaries.”
The audit also reported two cases where houses were irregularly sanctioned to minors, despite their parents being alive, indicating inadequate verification of eligibility. Payments totaling ₹2.5 lakh were made to these two ineligible minor beneficiaries.
On the issue of geo-tagging discrepancies, the report stated, “The audit identified cases where houses were geo-tagged incorrectly, even outside of their geographical locations. In 52 instances, houses were geo-tagged at locations significantly distant from their actual sites. Notably, in three cases, the geo-tagging placed the houses in Delhi and Jharkhand, with distances varying from 51 km to 915 km.”
Launched by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in June 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) aims to provide affordable housing for the rural poor, offering pucca houses equipped with essential facilities, including hygienic kitchens, to families currently living in kutcha houses.
