BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to ensure the prompt allocation of homes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 2.0 (PMAY 2.0), the housing and urban development department has instructed all urban local bodies to hasten the verification process for applications submitted by beneficiaries.
In a communication to the heads of urban local bodies, Satish Chandra Singh, joint secretary of the Odisha Urban Housing Mission, expressed dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace of the verification process and urged faster action alongside increased awareness among beneficiaries.
Data indicates that 82,382 applications have been received to date, with 48,598 pertaining to beneficiary-led construction. However, only 13,925 applications have undergone verification, and project proposals for 11,959 units have been submitted to the state, Singh noted.
Singh described these figures as significantly low relative to the total number of applications. He referenced a recent email from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs which highlighted that only 12% of households in Odisha have received houses sanctioned under PMAY-U and PMAY-U 2.0.
“MoHUA has categorized the ULBs in Odisha to prioritize application verification based on their performance,” Singh explained. The priority levels are as follows: Priority 1 for ULBs with house sanction rates below 12%, Priority 2 for those between 12% and 24%, and the remaining ULBs fall into Priority 3.
“ULBs in Priority 1 must ramp up awareness initiatives among beneficiaries, accelerate verification efforts by allocating additional resources, and urgently submit new detailed project reports under PMAY-U 2.0,” Singh emphasized in his letter.
For ULBs classified under Priority 2, Singh urged them to prepare and submit proposals following the proper verification processes. He specifically advised ULBs such as Khariar, Kotpad, and Champua to exercise extra care during verification due to their proximity to bordering states like Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
He requested immediate measures to expedite the verification and proposal submission processes and to issue appropriate directives to relevant officials.
It’s noteworthy that the application process for housing under PMAY 2.0 is still ongoing, with beneficiaries receiving homes across various verticals of the central scheme, including affordable housing, beneficiary-led construction, and in-situ slum redevelopment programs.
