Is MPLAD relevant for the development work ?
The scheme which was started with Rs 1 crore per annum per MP has now been raised to Rs 5 crore. The government spends Rs 4,000 crore annually on the scheme.
The objective with which the scheme was launched has completely failed. There has been a massive violation of guidelines. MPs invest the money in their private trusts and societies created by them and recommend using the funds in the projects which are prohibited. They also exercise choice in choosing the implementing agency and handing over cheques to them. Apart from this, they want to control payments to contractors.
The Comptroller and Auditor General has reviewed the scheme thrice and has recommended more transparency. It has also called for more transparency at the district level and making provision for following the guidelines. But so far there has been no credibility in the scheme.
There have been evidences of corruption, which showed misappropriation of funds. There has been reported incidence of fraud from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Mizoram. School classrooms, which were built with the funds, were nowhere to be found. In Jharkhand a solar pump company took Rs 8 lakh and vanished. In Bihar, the officials were taking funds for construction of roads from the MPLAD funds which were already built.
The CAG also found that in 10 states, funds were given in excess of prescribed ceiling. Nearly 145 ineligible societies and trusts in seven states received funds, according to the auditor. The accounts are also not audited regularly.
There is a need for stricter enforcement of accountability norms both at the level of the MP and the district administration is an imperative. There must also be efforts to prevent the MPLADS from becoming money making machine for unscrupulous public representatives.
The Supreme Court has also held the constitutional validity of the MPLAD, so scrapping the scheme is not an option. The only way out is strengthening the scheme. The MPLAD if implemented seriously could be a major instrument for development in inaccessible areas.
Another problem with the MPLAD is that the elected representatives roll out development programmes where they have a strong vote bank base, but they ignore the pockets where they have tenuous support.
The netas have been given guidelines to use the funds for the development of SC/ST and backward community along with others, but rarely such guidelines are followed in letter and spirit.
The funds can be used for cleanliness and hygiene in the constituency apart from disaster management that comes with certain clauses.
Tricycles distribution for physically-challenged, books for libraries, purchase of ambulances for the hospitals is also allowed. Also, many MGNREGA projects are conducted with the MPLAD money available to the MPs.
According to the data available 163 MPs in the last Lok Sabha used very low amount from their MPLAD fund, which includes some big names.
This is the case in almost all parties. Top names in BJP are the Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the women and Child welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi and Shahnawaz Hussain. Even the UPA is not very far in the competition and previous Ministers like Union ministers V Narayanswamy, Sriprakash Jaiswal and Harish Rawat are the worst performers.
"I have recommended works of about Rs 17 crore, but the district authorities have not completed the work. There is also a chance that they might not have updated the records," said the former Union Minister Narayanswamy.
Similarly, the BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain opined, "I can only recommend work. The district authorities are responsible for implementation and if they are not spending the money and not updating the records, what can I do?"
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has promised of ‘Acche Din' (Good days) is trying to ward off this corruption. In a latest move, the government has announced that a third party will monitor how the MPLAD fund is being utilized by the MPs. At present, the Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry is looking after the whole process.
People have every right to demand the development and to know how the funds meant for their welfare is being utilized. So every Indian must raise their voice so that our corrupt politicians could also listen.
The objective with which the scheme was launched has completely failed. There has been a massive violation of guidelines. MPs invest the money in their private trusts and societies created by them and recommend using the funds in the projects which are prohibited. They also exercise choice in choosing the implementing agency and handing over cheques to them. Apart from this, they want to control payments to contractors.
The Comptroller and Auditor General has reviewed the scheme thrice and has recommended more transparency. It has also called for more transparency at the district level and making provision for following the guidelines. But so far there has been no credibility in the scheme.
There have been evidences of corruption, which showed misappropriation of funds. There has been reported incidence of fraud from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Mizoram. School classrooms, which were built with the funds, were nowhere to be found. In Jharkhand a solar pump company took Rs 8 lakh and vanished. In Bihar, the officials were taking funds for construction of roads from the MPLAD funds which were already built.
The CAG also found that in 10 states, funds were given in excess of prescribed ceiling. Nearly 145 ineligible societies and trusts in seven states received funds, according to the auditor. The accounts are also not audited regularly.
There is a need for stricter enforcement of accountability norms both at the level of the MP and the district administration is an imperative. There must also be efforts to prevent the MPLADS from becoming money making machine for unscrupulous public representatives.
The Supreme Court has also held the constitutional validity of the MPLAD, so scrapping the scheme is not an option. The only way out is strengthening the scheme. The MPLAD if implemented seriously could be a major instrument for development in inaccessible areas.
Another problem with the MPLAD is that the elected representatives roll out development programmes where they have a strong vote bank base, but they ignore the pockets where they have tenuous support.
The netas have been given guidelines to use the funds for the development of SC/ST and backward community along with others, but rarely such guidelines are followed in letter and spirit.
The funds can be used for cleanliness and hygiene in the constituency apart from disaster management that comes with certain clauses.
Tricycles distribution for physically-challenged, books for libraries, purchase of ambulances for the hospitals is also allowed. Also, many MGNREGA projects are conducted with the MPLAD money available to the MPs.
According to the data available 163 MPs in the last Lok Sabha used very low amount from their MPLAD fund, which includes some big names.
This is the case in almost all parties. Top names in BJP are the Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the women and Child welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi and Shahnawaz Hussain. Even the UPA is not very far in the competition and previous Ministers like Union ministers V Narayanswamy, Sriprakash Jaiswal and Harish Rawat are the worst performers.
"I have recommended works of about Rs 17 crore, but the district authorities have not completed the work. There is also a chance that they might not have updated the records," said the former Union Minister Narayanswamy.
Similarly, the BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain opined, "I can only recommend work. The district authorities are responsible for implementation and if they are not spending the money and not updating the records, what can I do?"
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has promised of ‘Acche Din' (Good days) is trying to ward off this corruption. In a latest move, the government has announced that a third party will monitor how the MPLAD fund is being utilized by the MPs. At present, the Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry is looking after the whole process.
People have every right to demand the development and to know how the funds meant for their welfare is being utilized. So every Indian must raise their voice so that our corrupt politicians could also listen.
