Insight Bureau:  Odisha Housing & Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena on Monday wrote to Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh, reiterating the demand for the opening of Aawaas+ portal by the Centre to synchronize the data of 6.65 lakh households in the State under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G).

Following are the demands that had been put forth through the letters:

a) Synchronize the data of 6.65 Lakh households in the State-owned Rural Housing Portal with the Awaas+.

b) Sanction 1.84 Lakh Special PMAY (G) houses as promised during May 2019 to Odisha in the aftermath of cyclonic storm “FANI”.

c) Open the Aawaas+ window for some time to incorporate names of eligible left out families.

In a letter to the Union Minister in reference to the request of the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Jena stated that while the genuine demand of Odisha has not been paid heed to by the Ministry of Rural Development so far, synchronization of data from Karnataka State Government MIS into Aawaas+ was allowed on 13.01.2022.

“Ignoring the repeated requests from the State will not support the cause of Odisha and it will further deprive lakhs of tribal beneficiaries living in the Scheduled areas of the State and deserving poor people belonging to KBK region and Western parts of the State,” the Minister added. Therefore he requested the central Government to rectify this injustice being meted out to the State of Odisha and its people.