At a time when Puducherry is not witnessing much developmental activity due to lack of funds, it is shocking to note that the Union Territory didn’t reap the benefits of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme. Though the Central Government has reworked the guidelines for the scheme allowing greater flexibility for speedy release of funds to fast-track the implementation of projects, Puducherry has not been able benefit out of it.
The MPLAD corpus fund has been raised from `2 crore to `5 crore in 2011-2012. The lone Lok Sabha member from Puducherry, V Narayanasamy, and Rajya Sabha Member P Kannan are entitled to get `5 crore each per year. But no grants have been released under the scheme for the fiscal 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, the reason being poor utilisation of funds.
For the past three years Narayanasamy has utilised only 38 per cent of funds whereas Kannan has not utilised any funds. On account of non-utilisation of the entire funds released, there has been no further release of funds in the past two years by the Government of India.
Narayanasamy who is entitled to `19 crore under the MPLAD Scheme since 2009, has so far sanctioned `6.54 crore out of which only `4.03 crore with interest has been released. However, the utilisation has been only Rs 1.52 crore (38 per cent), with unspent amount being Rs 2.51 crore, according to data posted on the website of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation.
Both Narayanasamy and Kannan are angry with the Puducherry Government for delay in execution of works recommended by them.
Narayanansamy told Express, “I am getting the sanction for the works, but implementation is in the hands of the agencies in the UT designated to execute the work. I have decided to recommend work for the construction of road overbridge on Cuddalore Road, at a cost of `5 to `6 crore, but the fund will be released only after the ongoing works are completed and utilisation certificate is given.”
On the other hand ,Rs 2 crore has been released for P Kannan for two years (2009-2010 and 2010-2011 ) and the territorial administration received it with interest of `2.02 crore. However, the utilisation has been nill so far, according to the website. For Kannan, the works sanctioned is yet to begin.
In the case of former Rajya Sabha members from Puducherry,`3.38 crore is pending utilisation. This includes Rs 1.41 crore for C P Thirunavukarasu and `1.97 crore for Narayanasamy.
Mahe Municipality, which is in charge of the upgradation of roads and drains in the UT region, had sanctioned an amount of `23.83 crore on January 10, 2011, but is yet to finalise the tender. While Pondicherry Municipality, which is in charge of the construction of community hall at Kurchikuppam at a cost of `58.20 lakh, sanctioned the amount on August 4, 2011, tender approval is awaited. For the remaining `121.27 lakh, the works are yet to be sanctioned. Now the unspent balance with the constituency remains at `2.02 crore for 2010-2011, without being able to show any actual expenditure by the implementing agency.