Bhubaneswar, May 26 -- Residents of Mantriguda village under Nandahandi block in Nabarangpur district in Odisha alleged that an administrative anomaly involving two villages with the same name left them deprived of government housing benefits for years.

According to villagers, while another village named Mantriguda under Nabarangpur block has received benefits under various welfare schemes, Mantriguda under Nandahandi block remained largely excluded.

The village is located barely one kilometre from the block headquarters, yet many residents continue to live in thatched, tin-roofed and asbestos-roof houses.

With a population of around 500 people, most of whom work as daily wage labourers, villagers claim that a permanent house under gov...