The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently disposed of a PIL highlighting the alleged deficiencies, irregularities, and shortcomings while implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
The PIL has been filed by Rajesh Singh Tomar that certain persons who are not eligible for any benefit under the PMAY-G have been wrongly benefited.
The Gwalior Bench, comprising Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Deepak Kumar Agrawal, after bare perusal of PMAY-G noted that services of Ombudsman appointed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) schemes are utilized for redressal of grievances arising during implementation of PMAY-G.
The relevant instruction pertaining to Grievance Redressal Mechanism is :-
“GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL
12.5 In order to expeditiously redress the grievances and to uphold the rights of the rural poor, the States/UTs may consider utilizing the services of Ombudsman under MGNREGA to dispose of grievances and reported incidences of irregularities under PMAY-G.”
In view of above, petitioner has remedy for redressal of his grievance raised in the PIL. Accordingly, the Court declines interference on merits and relegates petitioner to prefer an appropriate complaint raising the issue as raised herein before the Ombudsman of concerned district i.e. Morena.
If any such complaint is made to the Ombudsman appointed under the MGNREGA Scheme within a period of 20 days then the same shall be decided by Ombudsman on its own merits without being dismissed solely on ground of delay and latches, the Bench ordered.
The Court clarified that in case, Ombudsman is not appointed for the district of Morena then Petitioner shall be at liberty to move the State Govt. directly by preferring his complaint.
“This Court has no manner of doubt that in case any such complaint is filed within the time prescribed, the same shall be decided on its own merits by the Ombudsman or the State Govt. as the case may be, without being influenced by the fact that petitioner approached this Court,” the order reads.