Flats built under Kanshi Ram Shahri Garib Awas Yojna in 2010 are now lying in ruins, waiting to be allotted to beneficiaries. A total of 600 flats were built by District Urban Development Authority (DUDA) for Rs 23 crore under the scheme for giving free houses to the urban poor.
The scheme was launched in 2008. In the three-phased scheme, a total of 600 houses were built in the Haldaur, Dhampur, and Chandpur towns of Bijnor by Avas Evam Vikas Parishad in 2010. Later in 2013, the scheme was scrapped and a new plan called `Aasra Awas Yojana` was launched.
According to officials of Avas Vikas Parishad, the reason behind the failure to allot the houses is insufficient funding from the government and its lackadaisical attitude towards the scheme.
Though the construction of buildings is almost complete, final works, including installation of water pipes and electrical lines and fittings, etc are still pending even after over a decade as the allocated funds have been exhausted and there is no fresh funding.
DUDA project officer Shakti Sharan Shrivastava said, "Our work was to allot these houses to beneficiaries. However, Avas Vikas Parishad had not handed over the flats to us. These flats have been almost abandoned."
Bijnor district magistrate has now taken cognizance of the matter and has written to the construction agency so that the remaining work could be completed and allotted to rightful beneficiaries.
