New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has urged the government to release an advance amount of Rs 5 crore each to parliamentarians this fiscal under the MPLAD scheme for 2023-24 to enable them to complete the projects. The Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic for two years (2020-21 and 2021-22). However, the scheme was restored for the remaining part of 2021-22 with the release of Rs 2 crore for each MP in one instalment.
The Parliamentary Committee on Estimates in its 14th report (17th Lok Sabha) on the Review of fund allocation and utilisation of the MPLAD scheme on Monday noted that MPs have not been able to recommend any work during 2020-21 and 2021-22 and hence these requests from general public/societies/trusts have not been entertained. It suggested, "...as the COVID-19 situation eased, for the present MPs, the MPLADS fund for 5th year (of the government 2023-24) may be released during the 4th year, in advance, in order to enable the MPs to recommend/sanction". It also recommended releasing pending instalments of MPLADS funds for 2019-20.
The panel stressed the minimize delay in the release of funds. It opined that the unused funds allotted to predecessor MP should be utilised for the completion of such abandoned projects/work with minimal delay in the documentation process. Unspent funds of Rs 1,723 crore of predecessor MP could be put to appropriate use only upon completion of all eligible works of predecessor MP and closure of the bank account of the successor members, as per the panel.
It also urged the government to close the saving bank account of MP linked to MPLAD and transfer the amount into successor MP in a time-bound manner. The panel suggested enhancing the ceiling of Rs 50 lakh for the lifetime of each society/trust from MPLAD funds. The committee also recommended having real-time data on various development works being undertaken under the scheme.
PTI
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