COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) does not depend on MPLAD funds and has been executing several development and infrastructure projects using funds sanctioned by the union and state governments through the smart city mission projects.
According to CCMC sources, Rs 5 lakh per month is allotted to each of the 100 wards to carry out development work, and Rs 6 crore is allocated for 100 wards per year. This is more than MP’s Constituency Development Fund. Besides the civic body gets funds for special projects from the state and central governments.
According to details shared by the office of Coimbatore Lok Sabha MP PR Natarajan (CPI-M), 88 development projects were executed in the six assembly segments in constituency since 2019 at a cost of Rs 17 crore under MPLAD funds.
Out of this, Coimbatore South assembly segment, which was won by Vanathi Srinivasan of the BJP, got three development works, whereas Palladam in Tiruppur district is at the top of the list 24.
“Out of 88 projects, 24 were done in Palladam legislative constituency in Tirupur district. Kavundampalayam and Sulur get 23 and 22 projects respectively. Only 19 projects were done using the MP fund in the remaining three constituencies - Singanallur, Coimbatore South and North. The allocation of the MP fund did not help much to the urban Coimbatore when compared in rural areas. Particularly the Coimbatore South constituency - a core city won by BJP, got three projects (a toilet and two parks) from the MP fund,” reveal data available from MP’s office.
When asked about the difference in spending, Natarajan said fund utilization of Coimbatore Corporation was much higher than the overall allocation for an MP.
“The funds we get for five years are usually spent by the corporation on a single project. Hence we could not contribute to major projects in corporation limit. As the corporations get enough funding from the government under the smart city projects, they do not expect MP’s contributions. So we concentrate on establishing basic amenities in the rural areas. Mostly the fund was used for establishing the Anganwadi, community halls, ration shops, water tanks, borewell, toilets, compound walls, library, park, road and hospital development, bus shelters and other few works,” Natarajan said.
“Apart from the pandemic period of almost two years, we get proper fund allocation only for three years. Out of which a total of 112 works have been planned and administrative approval has been given and 88 works have been completed. The rest of the work will be completed before the election. I have utilized the fund completely for the welfare of the constituency,” Natarajan said.
According to him, during 2009-14, Rs 19 crore was allocated (for the first two years, Rs 2 crores each, and Rs 5 crores for the remaining three years). In addition, the central government deducts around ` one crore from the annual allocation which includes 18 % GST and Rs 10 lakh for administrative expenses. So we get only Rs 4 crore from the annual budget. We have repeatedly insisted that no tax should be levied on the allocation of funds for constituency development works. Yet the practice continues,” Natarajan said.
When contacted, MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said she saw no politics in the issue. “I don’t think there is a political motive as the MP is from CPI-M. Even I am unable to spend MLA constituency development funds as the Corporation mostly fulfills the basic infrastructure using its resources.
In fact, many community halls built by the civic body are without maintenance. We cannot allocate our funds for the maintenance. They should be used only for construction. Hence I started to spend the MLA fund for establishing drinking water facilities,” she said.