Question : Utilization of MPLADS Funds

(a) the details of MPs who utilized all their MPLADS fund in the last financial year; and

(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to maximize the use of MPLADS funds expeditiously and within a stipulated timeframe?

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): Every Member of Parliament (MP) is entitled to recommend works amounting to rupees five crore (Rs.5 crore) per financial year. The funds under the MPLADS are non-lapsable both at the end of the Union Government and at the end of the District Authority, i.e. the unspent balances of a particular year are utilized in the subsequent year (s).

In view of the nature and dynamics of the scheme, the unutilized balances, which also include interest accrued, are bound to exist at any given point of time and utilisation of MPLADS funds in the same financial year is not feasible.

MP-wise release and utilisation details as furnished by the District Authorities are available on the official website of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation (www.mospi.nic.in) .

(b): The Guidelines on MPLADS stipulate that all recommended eligible works should be sanctioned within 75 days from the date of receipt of the recommendation, after completing all formalities. The District Authority should, however, inform MPs regarding rejection, if any, within 45 days from the date of receipt of recommendations, with reasons thereof. The time-limit for completion of the works should generally not exceed one year (it is not feasible to prescribe precise time-frames for all the different types of works).

The Ministry continuously emphasizes on the qualitative, rule-bound and speedy implementation of the works under the Scheme.

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