More than 31 lakh houses have been completed under rural housing schemes in Odisha in the last six years. Around 31,08,471 houses were allotted to the beneficiaries under different housing schemes, and 1,75,960 houses were in various stages of construction. S C Mohapatra, Chief Secretary, presided over the oversight committee meeting on the rural housing scheme and directed the authorities to allot pucca houses to 8,575 eligible families under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). The tribal livelihoods were vulnerable for years. They live in small, scattered remote areas. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) said thirteen different tribal groups are present in Odisha under PVTG. The houses are allotted under the rural housing schemes, including Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pucca Ghar Yojana, Nirman Shramik and Mastya Jeebi Basagruha Yojana. Around 39,198 beneficiaries were eligible for rural housing schemes and were landless. From the total, 2,326 families were allotted land, while the remaining were under consideration since they were residing on objectionable land. The Steel and Mines Department and Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department in Odisha, were told to work out the modalities for constructing pucca houses in the shape of mining colonies. People displaced for irrigation, infrastructure projects and the families taken out from reserve forest areas were also discussed in the council meeting. The Chief Secretary had directed the officials to include those families under the rural housing scheme on priority. Around 12.25 lakh families were eligible through field inquiry and should be included in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme. Image Source Also read: Over 1.22 lakh homes in Prayagraj handed over under PMAY and MMAY Also read: Over 1.47 lakh PMAY-G beneficiaries to get Rs 700 cr from PM Modi