Patna, Jan. 21: There is good news for the beneficiaries of Indira Awaas Yojana in Bihar. The state rural development department has entered into an understanding with the public health and engineering department for providing additional funds to the beneficiaries of the scheme for construction of toilets with the dwelling units.

According to the understanding reached between the two departments, those belonging to Mahadalit community would be provided an additional sum of Rs 2,500 for building toilets. The beneficiaries of other categories would get Rs 2,200. “We will introduce this new system from the next financial year (2011-12),” rural development department Nitish Mishra told The Telegraph.

As things stand now, the Indira Awaas Yojana beneficiaries are provided an aid of Rs 45,000 for house construction. The money is given in two instalments. While Rs 30,000 is given in the first instalment, the remaining fund is provided in the second.

The Indira Awaas Yojana is aimed at helping people below the poverty line to construct dwelling units and upgrade the existing mud houses by providing grant-in-aid. In order to ensure impartial selection of beneficiaries, the rural development department in Bihar has taken a decision to provide the details of the waiting list to the people’s representatives of the area concerned and also to the ministers in charge of different districts.

“Now ministers and people’s representatives can check whether the field officers are adhering to the waiting list norm or not and can bring forth the matter in case an officer provides the Indira Awaas Yojana benefit out of turn,” the minister said. Speaking about the Indira Awaas Yojana beneficiaries using the funds for other purposes, the minister said: “We will launch a scheme for felicitating those who ensure timely completion of the dwelling units and do not misuse the funds. The details of the schemes are being worked out and it will be launched in the next fiscal.”

The department has decided to felicitate the officials of the districts achieving the target given under the Indira Awaas Yojana. The felicitation programme would be organised on August 15 every year.

According to the latest report, Sitamarhi has turned out to be the best-performing district in terms of percentage of achieving Indira Awaas Yojana target. Purnea figures at the bottom of the table achieving only 4.86 per cent of the target.

“Our long-term plan is to have similar system of ranking for blocks and panchayats,” said Mishra.