John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Sept 15: During the month of April 2022, the Housing and Estate Department of Andaman & Nicobar Administration had invited applications from the Govt. servants to apply for govt. accommodation through online mode between 01.04.2022 and 30.04.2022 and many govt. servants have applied the quarters for allotment as per their eligibility in terms of circular dated 29th March 2022 issued by the Asst. Secretary (H&E), A&N Administration.
For many years it is observed that applications are invited during the month of March-April and allotment of govt. accommodations are being done in the month of July and accordingly, the govt. servants occupy the quarters within the stipulated time period.
But this current year of 2022-23, like previous years although applications are invited during April 2022 and seniority list of govt. servants applied for quarter was also prepared and uploaded in the Administration’s portal in the month of June 2022 but despite lapse of more than 04 months, no allotments are done till date, because of which many govt. servants, who don’t have their own house are facing tremendous hardship due to accommodation problems.
Sufficient vacant govt. quarters are already available and based on the availability of vacant quarters, applications were invited. Keeping the government accommodations vacant for a prolonged period, would also attract loss of revenue because if the quarters are allotted timely, house rent allowance is entitled by the govt. servants would be going to the government.
Similarly, many applications for allotment of govt. accommodation on out of turn on medical grounds were also received by the Housing & Estate department of Administration and the pre-requisite formalities of medical board examinations also completed many months back and despite of that such cases for allotment of quarters to the eligible govt. servants also kept pending, which is also another negligence to receive the revenue for the govt. on account of house rent allowance from the govt. servants.
Meanwhile, talking to Andaman Sheekha recently, Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Secretary Housing and Estate Department assured that within one week the quarter allotment process will be completed. He said that the process got delayed due to late submission of applications.
