Terming the Uttarakhand floods a ‘calamity of severe nature’, the Centre on Wednesday said that MPs could recommend MPLADS works up to Rs 50 lakh in the affected areas of the state.
Both the presiding officers of Parliament appealed to the Parliamentarians to donate their one month salary for relief and rehabilitation works.
In a joint appeal, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari said, “MPs are aware that there has been large-scale devastation in various parts of Uttarakhand due to torrential rains, cloudbursts, floods and landslides. We would appeal to all MPs to contribute from their MPLADS funds for relief and rehabilitation works as permissible under the MPLADS guidelines.”
According to the 2.8 para of the guidelines for MPLADS, “In the event of calamity of severe nature in any part of the country, an MP can recommend works up to a maximum of `50 lakh for the affected district. Whether a calamity is of severe nature or not, will be decided by the Government of India.”
Minister of State (Independent charge) for Programme Implementation Srikant Kumar Jena, in a letter to MPs, requested them to indicate the amount they wish to contribute for such works in Uttarakhand at the earliest. Jena gave his consent for the release of Rs 10 lakh from his MPLADS funds for rehabilitation works.