The Hindu : Implementation of Ashraya scheme flayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 07, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Implementation of Ashraya scheme flayed

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, MARCH 6. The Janata Dal (Secular) leader, Maruthirao Pawar, today said the distribution of Ashraya houses in Narasimharaja Assembly constituency in Mysore had fallen short of the target during the past three years.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Pawar, who once represented the constituency in the Assembly, said the distribution of Ashraya houses had been neglected by the Congress member in the recently dissolved Assembly, Tanvir Sait.

Releasing statistics on the implementation of the Ashraya scheme in Mysore district provided by the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation, Mr. Pawar said the authorities had fixed 500 houses for distribution during 2001-02. "But only 42 houses had been completed," Mr. Pawar said.

Though the corporation claimed that 42 houses had been completed, most of them were still in the process of completion. The implementation of Ashraya scheme in the constituency during 2002-03 was even more deplorable, Mr. Pawar said.

"Against a target of 525 houses for the year, not even one house has been constructed." The implementation of the Ashraya scheme during 2003-04 for 2,954 identified beneficiaries had also not taken off owing to the failure of the authorities to acquire land, Mr. Pawar alleged, producing copies of a letter written by the Managing Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation, N. Shivasailam.

Mr. Pawar said the authorities had sent a list of beneficiaries of the Ashraya scheme in Narasimharaja Assembly constituency for approval without acquiring the land and developing the same for construction of houses.

The letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Mysore had not only asked the authorities to acquire land for the purpose and develop it, but also sought a revision of the list of beneficiaries, which was filled with male aspirants in gross violation of Government rules.

Pointing out that a majority of the beneficiaries shown in the list were men, the letter cited the Government Order, which made it mandatory for male beneficiaries to be either handicapped, ex-servicemen, widowers, or senior citizens above 65 years. Or else, the beneficiaries should be only women, the corporation had insisted and sought a revision of the list of beneficiaries.

The letter had also asked the authorities to certify that the beneficiaries did not own a site or house. "Only after the authorities have the met the conditions stipulated by the corporation will the list of identified beneficiaries become official," Mr. Pawar said.

He also dispelled speculation about his re-entry into the BJP.

Mr. Pawar, who had represented the Narasimaharaja Assembly constituency as a BJP MLA, joined the Janata Dal (S) on the eve of the 2002 bypolls to the segment.

"I will remain in the Janata Dal (S)," he said though the BJP leaders, B.S. Yediyurappa, C.H. Vijayshankar, and H.S. Shankarlinge Gowda, had requested him to return to the BJP.

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