Providing of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) to deceased persons, payment of instalments to those ineligible to the scheme and full assistance paid against non-existing houses have been found during an audit exercise in 10 districts of Bihar, an official said on Saturday.

Unrealistic geo-tagging of house locations and payment of instalments in wrong accounts are also among the discrepancies observed by teams of the accountant general (AG-Bihar) during the audit of the implementation of the rural housing scheme in the state.

Based on the ‘performance audit’ report, state Rural Development Department Secretary N Saravana Kumar has recently asked all deputy development commissioners (DDCs) and officers concerned to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines of the Centre for implementing the programme.

“Officers concerned must ensure transparency and strict adherence to the guidelines, under the ‘Framework for implementation of the PMAY-G’, issued by the Centre’s Rural Development Ministry," he said in the letter.

According to the letter sent to DDCs, the discrepancies in the implementation of the PMAY-G are "benefits granted in the name of dead persons in certain cases in the state, irregular payment of instalments to ineligible beneficiaries, unrealistic geo-tagging, payment of instalments in wrong accounts".

“Auditors also observed non-preparation of comprehensive annual action plans in certain areas, approvals granted in Gram Sabha meetings without a quorum, full assistance paid against non-existing PMAY-G houses," said the letter, a copy of which is available with PTI.

Commenting on the irregularities observed by the auditors, Bihar Rural Development Minister Sharvan Kumar said all these were old cases.

"The department has been taking strict action against all those who are involved in such practices. I have given strict instruction to the officials concerned to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines issued for the implementation of PMAY-G in the state," the minister told PTI.

He also claimed that the 'Mahagathbandhan government under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has a "zero tolerance against corruption".

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