Srikant Jena Presides over MPLAD Scheme Review Meeting
MPS May Recommend MPLADS Funds for Construction of Buildings of Bar Associations at the Tehsil/Sub Division/District Level
The Minister of State (I/C) for Statistics & Programme Implementation Shri Srikant Kumar Jena has said that the performance of the MPLAD Scheme has been noteworthy, both on financial as well as physical parameters. Nonetheless, the Centre has been incessantly reviewing the need for further up-gradation and expansion in the guidelines in consultation with the stakeholders. He said, in this context, various reform circulars have also been issued recently to widen the admissibility of works under the MPLAD Scheme.
Listing some of the initiatives under the MPLAD Scheme, Shri Jena said that recently a Scheme known as “One MP One Idea” has been launched. One MP One Idea competition would be held in each Lok Sabha constituency annually to select the best three innovations who will be awarded with cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakh, 1.5 lakh and 1 lakh along with five consolation prizes to be given as certificate of appreciation for the ideas received from local people for developmental projects. Under the scheme, a Selection Committee headed by DC/DM shall be constituted in the Nodal district having members with sufficient expertise available in the district. These awards will be given by the Members of Parliament in public functions.
He said, to make the information readily available to the MPs, it has been recently allowed for creation of ‘Facilitation Centers’ at a cost not exceeding Rs. 5 lakh. These Facilitation Centers can be set up from MPLADS funds. For this purpose, the space is to be provided by District Authority in the premises of Collectorate/DRDA. The Center would provide information to Members of Parliament at one place for the effective implementation of the MPLAD Scheme. If a district has been opted by more than one MP, the centre would provide service to all those Members of Parliament. The running expenses of the Facilitation Center would be met from the 2% administrative amount given to the States out of MPLADS funds.
Shri Jena said, another key initiative which has recently been undertaken is “Convergence of MPLAD Scheme with Panchyat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) and Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS)” of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to create more durable assets. Members of Parliament have been permitted to recommend works only of “fixed and durable” nature, such as development of play fields under PYKKA including levelling of play grounds in the hilly areas, construction of boundary etc. In villages and blocks from the “Shelf of PYKKA” projects, if eligible under MPLAD Scheme. The Ministry is in the process of consultation with many more Ministries in order to broaden the platform for convergence.
Shri Jena said, his Ministry has also allowed convergence of funds from MPLAD Scheme with MGNREGA with the objective of creating more durable assets. MPs may recommend MPLADS works from the shelf of MGNREGA projects. The MPLADS fund shall be used in respect of material component only.
He said, the Ministry has also allowed Members of Parliament to allocate Rs. 10 lakh per annum or the consolidated entitled amount of their balance tenure effective from financial year 2011-12 at any time for giving assistance to differently abled persons as per MPLADS guidelines.
The Minister said, taking into consideration the requirement of Railway Halt Stations for the local community, it has now been decided that Railway Halt Stations can be constructed from the MPLADS fund for the benefit of local community. The Ministry has also allowed that Members of Parliament may recommend their MPLADS funds for construction of buildings of Bar Associations at the Tehsil/Sub Division/District level provided the land belongs to the government. Further, Members of Parliament can now recommend their funds for purchase of books upto Rs.50,000/- per annum for the Bar Association library in the Lower and District Courts.
He said, these initiatives will be helpful in bringing about improvement in the scheme implementation. The Minister expressed his happiness over the fact that the MPLAD Scheme has been of immense benefit to the people of the country through creation of need based community assets. The Minister also applauded the performance of the scheme as utilisation percentage is more than 88%.
During the meeting, the District/State Authorities were requested to furnish the complete Action Taken Report in respect of the outstanding Paras of the C&AG Performance Audit Report on MPLAD Scheme 2010-11 and the status of Relief and Rehabilitation works. They were also requested to complete the distribution of unspent balances and regularly update the Data on Online Monitoring System.
The daylong 15th All India Review Meeting on Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) with Nodal Secretaries of States/Uts was organised with the aim to review the progress of implementation of the Scheme. It was attended by Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of the States/Uts, DCs/DMs of about 50 districts and also by the representatives of Central Ministries, Controller General of Accounts and Planning Commission.
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AD/DB