Delay in IAY payment leaves Mawer residents distressed

Kupwara, Feb 6: Several residents of Mawer are anguished with the Rural Development Department due to delay in payment under Indra Awaz Yojana (IAY) thus putting them into a lot of hardships.

The residents said that after receiving the first installment of Rs 50000, they started construction of their houses but they are not being provided the remaining payment even after they have accomplished the construction work.

“Once we received the first installment, the department put pressure on us to start construction of our houses, following which we did the same. We bought construction material including stones, bricks, cement on loan knowing that the department would pay us a second installment immediately, but over five months have passed and we are yet to receive the remaining payment,” a local from Haril said.

They complained that the blue-eyed beneficiaries who have only constructed plinths of their houses were provided full payment but the deserving have been deprived of their rights.

They said that they brought this issue into the notice of concerned officials numerous times but nothing has been done so far in this regard causing immense hardships for them. They have sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Ayushi Sudan in this regard so that the hardships being faced by them may end.

Meanwhile Block Development Officer (BDO) Qalamabad Nazeer Bijran told Greater Kashmir that from their side all formalities have been done.

“The payment gets credited to the beneficiary’s account once released from the higher end. With regard to payment we have no role but ground formalities have to be carried out by the field staff. I hope that within a short period of time, the remaining payment would be provided to them,” he added.