Paper: GS – II, Subject: Governance, Topic: Government Policies, Issue: MPLADS Scheme.
Context:
A controversy has arisen over the MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) after the BJP accused three Congress MPs from Rajasthan of diverting funds to a different state.
Key Highlights:
MPLADS Scheme:
- Launched in December 1993, MPLADS is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Government of India.
- It enables Members of Parliament to recommend developmental projects focusing on creating durable community assets (such as roads, school buildings, and water facilities) in their constituencies.
- Each MP can recommend developmental projects worth ₹5 crore annually, usually within their own constituency.
Examples of Effective MPLADS Utilization:
- Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal (Rajya Sabha, Punjab) utilized ₹9.34 crore of his allocation of ₹14.72 crore (over 63%) to address water scarcity in villages.
- Iqra Choudhary, the Samajwadi Party MP for Kairana, maintains a fully updated MPLADS profile with geotagged images.
- In the 17th Lok Sabha, Tejasvi Surya (Lok Sabha MP from the BJP representing Bengaluru South) spent ₹9.36 crore.
- Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour, completed 173 works and spent ₹6.13 crore.
Arguments Against Discontinuation:
- The data suggest that the MPLADS funds were used well in previous years as well.
- While it is true that some MPs may not have been able to use their MPLADS funds to the fullest capacity for developmental work, that cannot be treated as the dominant trend.
- There is therefore no case for discontinuing the MPLADS Scheme or for rethinking or reducing the amounts.
- A better approach for improvement would be to organise short workshops with consultants, where MPs are guided on how to effectively utilise their MPLADS funds for development purposes.
Way Forward:
- Capacity-building workshops for MPs
- Stronger monitoring using geo-tagging and dashboards
- Faster fund release and project approvals
- Sharing of best practices among MPs
MPLADS should be reformed and strengthened, not scrapped. With better oversight and capacity building, it remains a useful instrument of grassroots development and democratic accountability.
The strengthening India-US partnership following the resolution of trade disputes. It emphasizes the convergence of strategic interests, particularly in countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and highlights the importance of deeper cooperation in various sectors.
Source: (The Hindu)
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