A parliamentary panel has asked the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) Ministry to immediately get a thorough probe done into the cases of fraud being committed by unscrupulous elements in the name of its flagship housing scheme.
"The Committee is perturbed to note cases of fraud and cheating are taking place in many cities including NCR of Delhi for allocation of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) with fake propaganda that a house could be booked by just paying Rs 150 by unscrupulous elements and fraud NGOs etc," it said.
The Standing Committee on Urban Development, in its reports 'Demands for Grants (2017-18)' for HUPA Ministry, noted that a lot of bogus builders/developers are apparently registering and enlisting a lot of consumers for allotment of economic weaker section/ lower income group house in the name of affordable housing scheme under the mission of 'Housing for All by 2022'.
"The committee strongly cautions and recommends that HUPA Ministry should immediately swing into action and get such complaints thoroughly investigated in all states and UTs as one of their prime scheme, named PMAY (U) is being misused for illegal money-making by some corrupt-minded anti-social elements," the panel, headed by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Pinaki Misra, said.
The panel underlined that any delay in catching those involved will give them liberty to rob millions of more poor and have-nots of the society.
"If unchecked, poor and homeless masses will feel cheated and betrayed and also it will be difficult for them to trust any of the government schemes henceforth," the committee said in its report tabled in Parliament recently.
The panel pitched for aggressive awareness programmes through visual and print media to educate and inform common people to beware of fraudulent persons and NGOs.
The committee also recommended higher allocation of budgetary funds for HUPA Ministry.
"The committee recommends a real increased budgetary provision to be provided henceforth in favour of HUPA ministry, responsible for fulfilling aspirations and expectations of millions of urban poor and homeless," it said.
PTI
