BELGAUM: Karnataka’s Lok Sabha MPs again lag behind in the utilisation of Central grants and occupy a poor 24th position in the country.
Rajya Sabha (RS) members, however, have fared better by taking the 15th place. According to statistics released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation recently, compared to other southern MPs, Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha MPs have utilised 89.13 percent of MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) funds, far behind Tamil Nadu (6th, with 93.78 percent), Kerala (7th, 93.41 percent) and Andhra Pradesh (9th, 92.95 percent). Of the available grant of Rs 884 crore, Karnataka LS members spent only Rs 764 crore, while RS members utilised Rs 319 crore of the Rs 364 crore. The utilisation figures released in the first week of this month are for a period between 1993 and 2011. In the case of the RS members, Karnataka’s MPs have performed better than their southern counterparts by utilising 88.23 percent of grants, taking the 15th position.
Kerala (86.67 percent) and Andhra Pradesh (85.43 percent) stand 19th and 24th respectively.
Goan elders had the distinction of securing the first position in the country by
utilising more than 100 percent funds.