Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman raises red flags over MPLADS

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman who is the ex-officio Chairman of the Committee on MPLADS (MP Local Area Development Scheme) has red-flagged the problems plaguing the MPLADS with Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).

Findings of the Deputy Chairman

• The deputy chairman has cited observations from several CAG reports, findings of the Programme Evaluation Organisation of the erstwhile Planning Commission, observations of the Central Information Commission (CIC) and Supreme Court judgments to substantiate the concern regarding the scheme.
• The CAG has raised red flags over alleged sanctioning of huge sums to trusts/societies beyond the norms or sanctioning to ineligible and prejudices in recommending the scheme.
• The deputy chairman has called upon to reflect on the fact that huge amount of public money is being held up without being spent properly on the works under this scheme, which otherwise could have been put to public use.

The findings from the deputy chairman must nudge the government to rethink the MPLAD scheme that has ended up with a bad name at the grassroots level.

MPLAD Scheme

The MPLADS scheme was launched in 1993. The scheme is administered by the Ministry for Statistics and Programme Implementation. The scheme provides an opportunity for each MP to suggest to the District Collector for works to the tune of Rs.5 Crores per annum to be taken up in his/her constituency.

The MPs were entitled to recommend works to the tune of Rs 1 crore annually between 1994-95 and 1997-98 after which the annual entitlement was enhanced to Rs 2 crore which was further enhanced to Rs 5 crore in 2011-12.

The Rajya Sabha MPs can recommend works in one or more districts in the State from where he/she has been elected and the Nominated Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may select any one or more Districts from any one State in the Country for implementation of their choice of work under the scheme.