MP fund is public fund: T Meinya
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 27 2018:
MP Thokchom Meinya has categorically stated that the MP Local Area Development Fund is public fund which must be used for the welfare of the people.
Dr Meinya was speaking at the inaugural function of a community hall at Hayel which was constructed from his MP Local Area Development Fund.
He said that elected representatives often face many difficulties in their endeavour to translate into action what they wish to do for the public.
He said that the annual MP Local Area Development Fund given by the Government of India when he was first elected as an MP was Rs 2 crore but it has now been hiked to Rs 5 crore.
When this amount is divided among the 32 Assembly Constituencies which form the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, each Assembly segment gets just around Rs 16 lakh.
It is rather difficult to think about what can be taken up with this Rs 16 lakh, Dr Meinya said.
He said that the annual MP Local Area Development Fund of Rs 5 crore is quite inadequate to take up welfare schemes and development programmes in all the 32 Assembly segments.
Ex-Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar warned that people will face severe difficulties if the banks of rivers flowing through Mayang Imphal AC are not repaired and strengthened before the rainy season.
The excuse that Water Resources Department has no fund is rather unpalatable, he remarked.
Saying that there is Rs two crore from MLA Local Area Development Fund and another Rs two crore from PWD, Dr Ratankumar asserted that the river bank strengthening work can be initiated with this amount of Rs four crore.
He also accused the incumbent Government of giving undue priority to transfer and posting.