MPLAD fund to be hiked to ' 5 cr
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 06 2011: The Centre has decided to increase the annual entitlement of MPLAD (MP Local Area Development) funds of Members of Parliament from ' 2 crores to ' 5 crores, according to a PIB, New Delhi release.

This necessitates, a re-look at the entire gamut of operational guidelines and modalities, governing the implementation of the MPLAD.

This has been done in order to make MPLAD use simpler, more user friendly, and to ensure that MPs can use the annual fund, in a useful manner, to fulfil the urgent needs, at the grass root level in time every year.

Dr MS Gill, Minister of Statistics & Programme Implementation, is keen to take a pro-active stand, to ensure timely, and fruitful utilisation of MPLAD funds, and is looking to create, a wider basket of eligible items, so that MPs have a larger choice of projects, which can be implemented through their MPLAD fund.

Government has received representations, requesting that MPs be allowed to spend some MPLAD funds, in assisting physically challenged people.

It has been argued, that physically challenged persons face severe hardships, and it is the general policy of Government of India, to take all possible steps, to ameliorate their condition, the released said.

The issue has been considered at length, in this Ministry.

It is felt, that it would be appropriate, to allow MPs, as public representatives, to spend some of their MPLAD funds, in assisting the physically handicapped persons.

Government is aware that Item No.11, of Annexure II, of the current MPLAD guidelines prohibits assistance to individuals.

It has been decided, that this condition be relaxed, in favour of physically challenged persons.

MPs will be allowed to spend ' 10 lakhs per year, from their MPLAD funds, for giving assistance to the physically challenged.

Such assistance will be given only for purchase of tri-cycles and artificial limbs.

Applications for such assistance will be examined and approved, by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the district, to ensure proper eligibility.

The district authorities, under the District Collector/Deputy Commissioner, will also be fully involved in the selection of such eligible persons.

This change will come into effect from June 1, 2011 .

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