A division Bench comprising Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice I Mohanty on Wednesday further directed the Centre to re-allocate funds under different schemes to the State Government for effective implementation of the schemes meant for those living in the slums.

The State Government and urban local bodies shall take measures to draw up a comprehensive development plan and also identify land for construction of residential apartments to rehabilitate and resettle the slum-dwellers and evictees in the entire State, the Bench ordered.

The court observed that the State Government shall  make budgetary provision for allocation of funds to discharge the statutory obligations and see that the schemes are implemented effectively and expeditiously.

Imposing a rider, the court said the directions are to be scrupulously implemented by the State Government by submitting periodic status report and if the court finds that the progress is not satisfactory, the matter would be viewed seriously and action taken against the erring officials.

The High Court specifically directed the State Government to submit detailed periodic status report after every 12 weeks through the Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development department.

The directive came in pursuant to a PIL filed by Rituparna Mohanty and Basti Unnayan Sangha against the administration’s move to evict slum-dwellers of Jai Maa Mangala Basti, Cuttack.