NEW DELHI: Even 10 Months after the constitution of 16th LokSabha, former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and several Union Ministers including Home Minister Raj Nath Singh, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Kalraj Mishra, Ananth Kumar, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Uma Bharti and Ram Kirpal Yadav figure among the MPs who are yet to recommend works under MPLADS.
The data analysed by Express’ reveals some interesting facts- 8th time MP Shibu Soren (Dumka) and several first time MPs too are in the list of members who have not yet started utilising the funds under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) to carry out developmental works in his/her constituency.
Under the MPLADS, each MP has the choice to recommend to the District Collector for works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum to be taken up in his/her constituency. After the constitution of 16th Lok Sabha, the first instalment of MPLADS was released in favour of all the newly-elected members.
According to the data compiled by the Ministry of Programme Implementation, though the Centre has released Rs 1,582.50 crore for MPLAD Scheme to the Lok Sabha members, expenditure is merely Rs 152.86 crore as on April 1, which roughly comes to only 10 per cent of the total fund released.
According to the data available with the Ministry of Programme Implementation, out of 80 Lok Sabha members in Uttar Pradesh, 56 MPs are yet to recommend works under the MPLAD scheme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is representing Varanasi, recommended works to the tune of Rs 40 lakhs. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is representing Amethi, has recommended works to the tune of Rs 4.46 crore. Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, Sakshi Maharaj and Dimple Yadav are yet to recommend works under MPLADS.
Kerala MPs Fare Better
Lok Sabha members from Kerala are far ahead in allocation of works under MPLADS. Kodikunnil Suresh, who is representing Mavelikkara (SC), has recommended works to the tune of Rs 11.63 crore.
P Karunakaran of Kasaragod has recommended works to the tune of Rs 9.86 crore and K V Thomas recommended works to the tune of Rs 9.64 crore.
Former Union Ministers Mullapally Ramachandran and Sashi Tharoor recommended works to the tune of Rs 8,55 crore and Rs 6.86 crore respectively. Out of 20 MPs from Kerala, only two MPs are yet to recommend the works under MPLADS.
Not lagging behind from Kerala MPs, Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is representing Saran in Bihar, has recommended works to the tune of Rs 8.82 crore. Om Prakash Yadav, who is representing Siwan, recommended works to the tune of Rs 7.38 crore. Out of 40 MPs from Bihar, 23 MPs are yet to recommend works under MPLADS. Tariq Anwar, Chirag Kumar Paswan , Kirti Azad are among MPs who are yet to recommend works under the scheme.
Out of 25 LS members from Andhra Pradesh, 10 members are yet to recommend works.
In Gujarat, out of 26 MPs, 17 members, including Actor-turned politician Paresh Rawal, are yet to recommend works. Out of 10 Lok Sabha members from Haryana, 7 members are yet to recommend works. Out of 5 MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, 4 members including Mehbooba Mufti and Jitendra Singh are yet to utilise MPLADS funds.
Out of 28 MPs from Karnataka, 19 are yet to recommend works under MPLADS. Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, former Union Minister Veerappa Moily are yet to recommend works under the scheme. Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda recommended works to the tune of Rs 4.40 crore.
Out of 39 MPs from Tamil Nadu, 19 members, including former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, are yet to recommend works. Out of 17 Lok Sabha members from Telangana, 9 members, including Nandi Yellaiah, A P Jithender Reddy, are yet to recommend any works.
Out of 21 MPs from Odisha, 13 members are yet to utilise MPLADS funds. Pinaki Misra, Bhartruhari Mahatab, Tathagata Satpathy are among those who are yet to recommend works under MPLADS.