Chhattisgarh govt to sanction houses to families identified as homeless under Cong rule

Raipur, Jul 9 (PTI) The BJP government in Chhattisgarh has decided to sanction houses to more than 47,000 families which were identified as homeless in a socio-economic survey conducted last year during the previous Congress regime, officials said on Tuesday.

The decision in this regard was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at Mantralaya in Nava Raipur, Deputy CM Arun Sao told reporters.

The socio-economic survey conducted by the state government from April 1 to April 30 last year covering 59.79 lakh families had identified 47,090 families as homeless. These homeless families were not featured in the permanent wait list (PWL) of the Socio-Economic and Caste Census -2011 (SECC-2011) (required for being eligible as beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural), he said.

These families will be provided housing under Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana (Rural), Sao added.

The registration period for providing housing to homeless, economically weaker, and lower-class families in Nava Raipur has also been extended by three years, he informed.

Under the Mukhyamantri Aawas Yojana, affordable housing facilities are being developed in Naya Raipur, and the registration date to avail this scheme has been extended from March 31, 2024, to March 31, 2027, he added.

In another significant decision, the cabinet gave its nod to amendment of the Chhattisgarh Government Store Purchase Rules, 2002 (as revised in 2022), Deputy CM Sao said.

With this move, all state government departments will procure materials, goods, and services available through the Government of India's Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal instead of Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC), he said.

The existing rate contracts of CSIDC will be cancelled at the end of this month, he said.

The decision was taken to combat corruption in government procurement following numerous complaints of irregularities in purchases through the CSIDC, he said.

The previous (Congress) government had prohibited purchases from the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, resulting in increased procurement challenges, compromised quality, and a rise in corruption allegations, he said.

The Sai government has addressed this issue with urgency, aiming not only to curb corruption but also to restore transparency in government procurement by reinstating the GeM portal system, the Deputy CM added.

The cabinet also decided to establish a separate 'Good Governance and Convergence' department for the effective implementation of state's welfare policies and good governance initiatives and at the same time addressing the public issues, Sao said. PTI TKP RSY