NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party-BJP friction ahead of the polls has led to Uttar Pradesh emerging as the poorest performer in the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.
With the current 16th Lok Sabha soon to complete three years, the MPLAD fund projects approval rates average 63 percent as per data available up to January 31 for UP, considerably lower than the performance of other large states.
The BJP had swept the 2014 Lok Sabha elections by bagging 73 seats of the total 80 in UP. While BJP is banking heavily on Brand Modi in the Assembly elections, MPs’ report cards have made the saffron re-run not so smooth.
Union MoS for Railways and Telecommunications (Independent Charge) and MP from Ghazipur Lok Sabha constituency Manoj Sinha has spent a mere 29.30 per cent (Rs 5.45 crore) of the Rs 15 crore approved for expenditure. BJP MP from Hamirpur, Kanwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, could spend just 16.64 per cent of the funds approved to be utilised over three years.
Among the big states, UP is the worst performer under the MPLAD scheme with 63 per cent projects approval. In contrast, Chhattisgarh averages 80.07 per cent. Other states fared slightly lower: Tamil Nadu (79.80 per cent), Gujarat (79.72 per cent), Bihar (79.84 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (70.72 per cent) and West Bengal (71.95 per cent).
BJP MP from Hathras, Rajesh Kumar Diwakar, clocked 30.83 percent approval under MPLAD, while Jalaun MP Bhanu Pratap Singh got just 32.71 percent of the funds approved for projects recommended by him. BJP MP from Maharajganj, Pankaj Choudhary, registered 30.65 percent of funds approved by the local administration.
Murli Manohar Joshi, MP from Kanpur, with an 83.72 percent rate, is the third best in the state. Pilibhit MP Maneka Gandhi and Nepal Singh from Rampur respectively with 85.90 per cent and 84.44 per cent respectively are top Parliamentarians from the state as for the MPLAD scheme.
Last year, the MPs had complained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they have to face hardships in getting their MPLAD funds spent, after which Central ministers coordinated with state officials for speedy approval of projects. However, not much could be gained.
For the 16th Lok Sabha, the Centre has released Rs 835 crore out of the Rs 1,190.42 crore across the country. Each year an MP gets Rs 5 crore for developing a constituency.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi could get 61.48 percent of her funds approved. In the case of UP CM Akhilesh Yadav’s MP wife Dimple, a minuscule 23.99 percent of the funds were spent in her constituency Kannauj.