(a) whether the Government has received complaints about the release of MPLAD funds;
(b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year along with the total funds released in respect of Members of Parliament of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, State-wise;
(c) the reasons for not releasing the funds;
(d) whether the Government has evaluated/considered the continuation of the MPLAD scheme; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS [GENERAL (Dr.) V.K. SINGH (Retd.)]
(a) to (c): Instances of violation of guidelines or rules come to notice from time to time. In such cases appropriate action is taken by the District Authorities / State Governments, including penal and departmental action and recovery / recoupment of Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds. Data on complaints and action taken thereon is not centrally maintained in the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
Release of funds under the MPLADS at the Central Government level as well as at the District level is governed by the provisions contained in the Guidelines on MPLADS.
The first installment of MPLADS funds is released subject to submission of provisional Utilisation Certificate (UC) of the previous year for at least 80% of expenditure of the first instalment of the previous year. The second installment is released on submission of Monthly Progress Report (MPR) reflecting unsanctioned balance of less than Rs.100 lakh and unspent balance of less than Rs.250 lakh with the District Authority along with the Utilisation Certificate (UC) and Audit Certificate (AC) of the immediately concluded financial year. As soon as the requisite documents and certifications are received, the funds are released by the Central Government.
The District Authorities release funds to the Implementing Agencies in accordance with the State Governments rules/guidelines applicable for the purpose.
Funds under the MPLADS are non-lapsable, both at the end of the Central Government and at the end of the District Authorities. Members of Parliament can recommend works upto their full annual entitlement without linking with actual release of funds and District Authorities are required to undertake immediate sanction and implementation of the eligible works so recommended.
State-wise position of release of MPLADS funds to Members of Parliament of Rajya Sabha (cumulative) and Members of Parliament of 16th Lok Sabha is given in Annexure.
(d) & (e): The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation regularly reviews the implementation of the MPLADS through national-level review meetings with State Government/District officers and visits to States/Districts. The Ministry also undertakes third party physical monitoring of the MPLADS works in selected districts through independent agencies. In addition, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C & AG) of India also conducts Performance Audit of the MPLADS periodically.
There is no proposal at present to discontinue the MPLADS.