Patna: The state government conceded that only 8,000 houses under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana could be completed against the target of 6.36 lakh houses for the poor in the financial year 2016-17.

Responding to a question in the Assembly on Wednesday, rural development minister Srawan Kumar attributed the delay to late release of funds by the Centre and the complicated process of selecting the beneficiaries.

He said over 1 lakh houses for the poor was complete till the plinth level and another 13,000 houses have been completed to the roof-level.

Incidentally, under the scheme people hailing from the below poverty line are given Rs 1.5 lakh each to construct a single-room house with toilet.

The minister's answer enraged the RJD MLA who charged that rampant corruption was the prime reason for incomplete houses. "Everybody knows that beneficiaries have to pay Rs 25,000 as bribe for the money," he said.

The minister replied that he had taken action whenever irregularities have come up before him. "I have dismissed officials and employees," he said. He asked the RJD MLA to give him specific charges and he would get it investigated.

However, Lalit Yadav insisted on setting up a house panel to investigate corruption in house-for-the-poor scheme. When the Speaker or the treasury bench refused to oblige, RJD MLAs walked into the Well of the House and started shouting slogans.

The House had to be adjourned barely lasting 15 minutes in the pre-lunch session. Since the bypoll counting was going on, the treasury bench did not show any inclination to let the House function.