March 13: Thousands of poor villagers in Dhubri district, who had woven dreams of secure lives under permanent roofs and walls, are feeling let down by a housing scheme that is apparently flattering to deceive.

Fifty per cent of the construction work under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in 2007-08 and 2008-09 remains incomplete.

Sources said altogether 5,206 IAY houses for 2007-08 and 4,473 houses for 2008-09 were sanctioned in 14 development blocks of Dhubri district with each house costing Rs 27,500. But in most cases, either the total amount was not released to the beneficiaries or is yet to be released by the block development office.

This apart, wherever the houses were completed, two components — sanitation and smokeless cooking ovens — added to this scheme, have not been provided to the beneficiaries.

According to official guidelines, Rs 300 and Rs 400 are to be deducted from the total cost of Rs 27,500 for the sanitation facility and smokeless oven respectively and deposited a separate account with the panchayat’s office.

As per the guidelines, against the deposit of Rs 300, the Zila Parishad contributes Rs 1,200 for construction of the sanitation facility. But the beneficiaries of the scheme alleged that they had not received the cost of construction from the respective block development offices.

Prakash Biswas, an IAY beneficiary for 2007-08 at Ambagan village under Jhagrarpar panchayat of Dharmasala block development office is among those who could not complete his house.

“I have received Rs 14,500 in cash and two corrugated iron sheets, but am yet to get the sanitation facility and smokeless cooking oven. I do not know when I will get those. I have visited offices several times but the gram sevak as well as officers are paying no heed to my pleas,” Biswas said.

Kiron Sarkar of the same village has also not been provided the two components by the development block.

Deep resentment also prevails in the Kularganj panchayat under Golokganj development block as none of 41 houses sanctioned for the 2007-08 under the IAY have been completed.

When contacted, the project director of Dhubri district rural development agency, Kanak Chandra Sarma, however, claimed nearly 90 per cent of the work under the IAY had been completed.

“As per the reports available with me, nearly 80 to 90 per cent work has been completed and rest will be completed very soon,” Sarma said.

But, as a source pointed out, the fact remains that the status and progress of works furnished by the officials of the block development office never match the ground reality.