Funds under MPLADS for 2019-20 cleared: Finance Minister Sitharaman

Sitharaman made the announcement in the Rajya Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said in the Rajya Sabha that fund under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for 2019-20 have been cleared.

TRS MP B Lingaiah Yadav had raised the matter during the Zero Hour in the House.

Responding on the issue, Sitharaman said several MPs from different parties had made representation on the matter.

"It is well known that for 2020-21 and 2021-22 the decision had been taken that no new commitments for MPLADS will be made, and, therefore, no allocation will be made," she said.

The minister further said that whatever commitments have been made for the year 2019-20 will be honoured.

"I have cleared the file on it...For 2019-20, the year before the corona thing happened, every commitment, which has been made by honourable MPs will be fulfilled. However, as was the instruction or as was the notification made for the year 2020-21 and for the year 2021-22 no new commitments on MPLADS will be entertained," she said.

Sitharaman said money has been cleared from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has assured her that they will be immediately sending the money to the districts.

MPLADS funds for 2019-20 have been cleared for MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Under the scheme, each MP has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum to be taken up in his/her constituency.

The Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament can recommend works in one or more districts in the State from where he/she has been elected.