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| BJP MPs spend just 3% of MPLAD funds | | PDP MPs recommend 78% | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 18: Four BJP Member Parliaments (MPs) have spent just 3 percent of funds made available to them under MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme, primarily to take up development projects in their respective constituencies.
This includes three BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha and the lone BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha Shamsher Singh Manhas. According to details available with Early Times, lone BJP MP who has expended funds under the MPLAD scheme is Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). BJP State president Jugal Kishore Sharma has recommended Rs. 1.85 crore for being released for developmental works but the same is yet to be expended despite BJP-led Government is nearing completion of their second year in office.
BJP's Member of Parliament (MP) from Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang despite having Rs. 2.50 crore in his kitty has not recommended even a single penny for works to be done under the MPLAD scheme in his constituency. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Manhas too has failed to ensure that of Rs. 1.03 crore recommend by him for developmental works, not even a penny has been utilised by the respective district administrations.
MoS in the PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh recommended Rs. 2.46 crore out of the allocation of Rs. 5 crore under MPLAD scheme to him. The respective district authorities sanctioned Rs. 1.55 crore and after 18 months, a meagre amount of Rs. 15 lakh has been expended. This is just 3 percent expenditure of the amount sanctioned by the district authorities for being utilised under MPLAD scheme. Hence the four BJP MPs have been collectively sanctioned Rs. 12.50 crore for utilisation under the MPLAD scheme but they have spent just Rs. 15 lakhs.
Compared to this dismal performance, the three PDP MPs namely PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, senior leaders Tariq Hameed Karra and Muzaffar Hussain Beigh have spent more than 47 percent of the Rs. 11.70 crore recommended by them for various works to be executed under the MPLAD scheme. They had been sanctioned Rs. 15 crore in toto. Out of this amount, PDP MPs have recommended works for 78 percent of funds available with them.
The only dismal performance is of the two MPs of PDP in the Rajya Sabha namely Mir Mohammed Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway who have Rs. 5 crore sanctioned for them but they have not utilised even a single penny for the reasons best known to them. BJP MPs have repeatedly said that their role as Members of Parliament is limited only upto recommendation of works but records clearly show that in most cases, they have not even recommended the works what to talk of execution.
MPLAD rules clearly spell out that it is the responsibility of the District Authority to sanction, execute and complete works recommended by Members of Parliament within stipulated time period. But in the case of four BJPs, not much has happened on the developmental front. Every year, MPs are allotted Rs. 5 crore under the MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme, primarily to take up development projects in their respective constituencies.
The fund has been increased over time, starting from Rs. 5 lakh in 1993-94 to Rs. 5 crore at present. MPs recommend works to be undertaken under the MPLADS, based on locally felt needs; with preference to certain sectors, including drinking water facility, education, health, sanitation, irrigation, roads etc.
Following the recommendation, the district authority is responsible for sanctioning the eligible works, and implementation of the sanctioned ones. As per official guidelines, the district authority shall make the selection of an implementing agency for execution of the recommended works by an MP. The Government of India releases the annual entitlement of Rs. 5 crore in two equal installments of Rs 2.5 crore each, directly to the district authority. |
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