Parliamentarians other than that of the ruling BJP have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for immediate restoration of the MPLADS fund to utilise the money on medical facilities amid the second phase of Covid-19 outbreak.
RJD MP Manoj Jha on Wednesday urged the PM to immediately restore the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme funds to assist the Parliamentarians in addressing critical humans needs within the constituencies.
Among others who have raised this demand recently are Congress leader Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh and BSP leader and Amroha Lok Sabha MP Kunwar Danish Ali.
In his letter, Digvijay Singh pointed out that people are demanding the installation of oxygen concentrators, ventilators, CT scan machines etc as well as availability of Remdesivir injections, and, therefore, the use of MPLAD funds must be restored.
Some others members from Congress, DMK, NCP, YSRCP, TRS, TDP, BJD, BSP, SP, RJD have raised similar demands.
Jha in his letter to Modi said the country’s rural geographies have been reeling under the grave economic and social shocks caused by the pandemic and hence there is an urgent need to ramp up basic health infrastructure.
“While the district administrations across the country are working on a war fooling with the available resources. the additional funds from MPLADS can be utilised to augment the required basic healthcare facilities such as supporting the paediatrictric ICU wards at Government hospitals, oxygen logistics, essential medicines, protective kits for ASHAs, Anganwadis, ANM and other mechanisms therein,” Jha mentioned in his letter to the PM.
Congress leader of the party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in his communication has said the Parliamentarians were united on the issue and suggested that there could be a resolution for restoration of the funds.
Under the MPLAD scheme, MPs can recommend development programmes involving expenditure of Rs five crore every year in their constituencies.
During the Budget session as well MPs urged the PM the need MPLADS post the first phase of pandemic and they had suggested the use of Central Vista funds could be diverted which in turn could be used for Covid fight.
Earlier in Monsoon session when the Lok Sabha unanimously backed the Government’s move to slash salaries of MPs by 30 per cent to meet the exigencies arising out of the pandemic, Opposition had asked the Government to restore the MPLADS the funding for which has been suspended for two years.
The Opposition also suggested that the Rs 20,000-crore Central Vista project should be cancelled to put in that money for the country’s fight against Covid pandemic.
Congress MP Dean Kuriackose has suggested that the total collection from salary deduction would be around Rs 50 crore, which is nominal compared to the economic package announced by the government in view of the outbreak. DMK’s Kalanidhi Veeraswami pointed out there were other ways to mobilise funds.
“There is a proposal that the amount of about Rs 20,000 crore to be spent on the Central Vista project could instead be used to combat Covid-19,” he said.
“Even if it (the money saved out of MPs’ salary cut) means a drop in the ocean, we are happy to do so because we want to stand with the nation. But this amount is just 12.5 per cent of the money estimated for the Central Vista Project. Who wants this project now? You can take that money and invest in Covid hospitals and ventilators,” said NCP’s Supriya Sule.
TMC leader Sougata Ray, who moved an amendment to increase the salary cut to 35 per cent, said the government should take away the entire salary of MPs, but retain MPLADs. “You are ready to spend Rs 20,000 crore for Central Vista and you are taking away petty amounts from the MP,” he said.
BJD’s Pinaki Mishra said taking away MPLAD funds would “disempower” members of Parliament. While TDP’s Jayadev Galla suggested that the Government explore other expenditure cuts, Independent MP Navneet Ravi Rana said suspension of MPLADS funding was “grave injustice” to the electorate.
