The Madras High Court Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a status report on the probe conducted so far into allegation of misappropriation of funds meant for housing of the poor under the Central government's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-G) and the State’s own Chief Minister Solar Powered Green Housing Scheme.
A bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sathya Narayana Prasad was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by one ML Dhamodharan seeking directions to the State Revenue Department officials to act upon his complaint claiming such irregularities in allotment of houses, solar panels etc. to those below the poverty line in Tamil Nadu under the above schemes.
In his PIL, Dhamodharan claimed that replies to his queries under the Right to Information Act (RTI Act)confirmed misappropriation of around ₹54,40,000 worth of government subsidy funds meant for welfare schemes such as PMAY-G, the Chief Ministers Solar Powered Green Housing Scheme, and the State’s Flood Relief Housing Scheme.
On Tuesday, Dhamodharan told the Court that the funds had been pocketed by some officials who had allocated houses to “non-existent persons and to persons above the poverty line.” He further said that he had sent a written complaint to Revenue Department authorities in December last year but no action had been taken so far.
At this, the Court questioned the State government and asked why were the authorities sitting on Dhamodharan’s complaint?
“What is this? Your (State) officers are making merry by misappropriating government funds and you are waiting for someone to file an RTI application and come to Court to seek action,” the Court said.
The State government then confirmed that the DVAC was already probing some related complaints and that so far, 25 witnesses have been examined. Eight witnesses are yet to be examined in the case, the State said.
The Court accordingly directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to file a status report by April 23.
TAGS: Madras High Court Tamil Nadu government Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-G) Chief Minister Solar Powered Green Housing Scheme
