In-depth inquiry needed

16/09/2020

The PMAY-U is the flagship mission of the Government of India being implemented by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to address housing shortage among the Economically Weaker Sections, Low Income Group and Middle Income Ground categories including the slum dwellers by ensuring concrete houses. An independent committee comprising of four officers has failed to meet the timeline for completion of in-depth inquiry and submission of report to the Government in a scam relating to implementation of Pradhan MantriAwasYojana-Urban (PMAY-U) in various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and districts of Kashmir division, which was brought to the fore by the CID Wing of J&K Police several months back, has remained unexposed at the level of Housing and Urban Development Department. The CID Wing of the J&K Police submitted a report to the Housing and Urban Development Department of J&K Union Territory regarding the scam in the garb of PMAY-U with particular reference to one person working as State Level Technical Consultation of PMAY-U.
On the basis of this report, the Housing and Urban Development Department appointed the then Managing Director of J&K Housing Board as Inquiry Officer to conduct enquiry in the implementation of PMAY-U.The Inquiry Officer, in his report, mentioned that irregularities committed by State Level Technical Consultant while implementing PMAY-U performed duties and responsibilities which were not within his domain and inquiry has remained focused on Srinagar city while as the CID report has alleged that such a state of affairs prevails in the entire Kashmir valley. The Inquiry Officer however recommended a full-fledged probe by a committee to be headed by a Valley based senior officer who can look into the whole gamut of irregularities committed during the implementation of PMAY-Urban.
Though the deadline for submission of report is over yet the independent committee has not completed the in-depth inquiry and the committee has informally conveyed to the Housing and Urban Development Department that much more time would be required to complete the assigned task. If the committee members were aware that it would not be possible for them to complete the inquiry within 15 days they should have asked for grant of more time through formal orders so as to ensure submission of report in a time bound manner and the Housing and Urban Development Department should have kept in mind that a detailed exercise is required to be conducted by the committee before fixing the timeframe for submission of report. Due to this, the scam could not be exposed fully and the accused officials posted in the Urban Local Bodies have remained unpunished till date. In a scam which relates to flagship mission of Government of India inquiry should be conducted as expeditiously as possible so that necessary action is taken against the guilty.

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