Patna: Uncertainty looms over the future of 7.8 lakh families in Bihar who were expecting to get pucca houses under the Centre-sponsored erstwhile Indira Awas Yojana.

The Centre has decided to end the scheme from March 31 this year after which no funds would be provided to the states for completing the half-built houses under the scheme.

The Indira Awas Yojana has been replaced by Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) to provide pucca houses to poor families in 2016-17.

The Centre decided to continue funding under the IAY for two more years to clear the pending work under the scheme during which the states were supposed to complete all unfinished works.

The fact about the high number of incomplete households under the IAY came to light during a recently held review meeting of the rural development department that was chaired by rural development minister Shravan Kumar.

At the meeting, the minister told the department officials to get the pending work completed by March 31 this year so that the beneficiaries could not get devoid of its benefit.

Sources in the department said it was virtually impossible to complete the pending work in the remaining two months, as the number was high.

"The pending works are of the past six-seven years and because of one reason or the other the second instalments to the beneficiaries could not be issued after the first instalment was issued leading to pile ups," said the source.

On the fate of such a huge number of poor families regarding their pucca houses minister Shravan Kumar admitted that the pile up was there since 2010-11. He, however, put up a brave face when asked about the possibility of completing the pending work in two months.

"I am visiting the districts and holding review meetings to assess the ground realities. The block development officers have been directed to do the physical verification of incomplete houses of the beneficiaries and issue the second instalment as soon as possible so that the houses could be completed," Shravan said.

He also tried to deter the uncertainty threat for the beneficiaries whose house could not be completed within the stipulated time.

"We would try to clear the maximum pending work under the IAY by March 31 and in case there is pile up even after that, the state government would take up the issue with the Centre so that no beneficiary could be denied the benefits of the old housing scheme," Shravan added.

The slow pace of implementation of the new scheme Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), too, has forced him to issue warnings to officials concerned of Nawada, Jehanabad, Jamui and Kaimur to expedite the work.

"The districts have not even completed half the target given to them hence the warning has been issued," the minister said, adding that he had directed the department officials to ensure completion of at least 4 lakh dwelling units under the PMAY by the end of the current fiscal.