KOCHI: MPs from Kerala, including those in the Rajya Sabha, failed to utilise around 82.5% of their allocation under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes between 2019 and 2023, according to the Bhim Mission, an organisation working for the welfare of SC/ST communities in the state.
Data accessed through the Right Information (RTI) Act shows that Rs 64.58 crore of the Rs 78.30 crore designated was allowed to lapse during the the period.
“There is a rule that the MPs should utilise 22.5% of the total MP fund for the welfare of SC/ST communities. However, only 17.51% of the total funds were utilised by MPs from the state,” said Adv Saji K Cheraman, chairman of Bhim Mission.
It is also the fault of district administrations and officials, he said. “The MPs can propose and monitor initiatives and projects. It is the responsibility of officials and district-level authorities under the leadership of the district collector to give sanctions and implement the projects. They too, have failed in implementing projects or taking up proposals from MPs,” Cheraman added.
The data shows that even the funds of representatives from reservation seats went unused. “We have three representatives from the SC/ST communities. Even they haven’t used the funds properly for the welfare of the communities. Rs 2.26 crore from Remya Haridas’ (Alathur constituency) fund, Kodikunnil Suresh’s Rs 2.19 crore (Mavelikkara) and Rs 1.09 crore from Rajya Sabha MP K Soma Prasad fund were not put to use over the last four years,” said Aji M Chalakkeri, member of the mission.