WORKSHOP-CUM-PHOTO EXHIBITION ON MPLADS TOMORROW
A Workshop-cum-photo
exhibition on Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme
(MPLADS) will be held at Parliament House Annexe tomorrow. Organised
by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation the
exhibition will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Atal
Bihari Vajpayee. Photographs numbering around 100, selected from
various categories of works implemented under the scheme all over
the country would be on display in the exhibition.
The Speaker of Lok
Sabha Shri Manohar Joshi will inaugurate the two-hour workshop
later in the day. Dr. (Smt) Najma Heptulla, acting Chairperson
of Rajya Sabha & Chairperson of Committee on MPLADS (Rajya
Sabha), Shri Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas,
Dr. B.B. Ramaiah, Chairman, Committee on MPLADS (Lok Sabha), and
Shri Vijay Goel, Minister of State for Statistics & Programme
Implementation will be present on the occasion. The workshop will
provide an interactive opportunity with the MPs and elicit their
suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the scheme.
It may be recalled
that the MPLAD Scheme was launched on 23 December1993 to enable
the Members of Parliament, who are approached by their constituents
for small development works, to respond to such requests. Under
the Scheme, the MPs can allocate funds for small community oriented
projects in their Constituencies/States, which could not be taken
up in the normal process of development planning. While Lok Sabha
Members can recommend works costing Rs. 2 crore per year within
their constituencies, elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend
works anywhere in the State of their election. Nominated members
of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the
country. The emphasis in the Scheme is on creating durable assets
on the basis of locally felt needs. There are two Parliamentary
Committees on MPLADS for monitoring the scheme.
As on 31.7.2002, the
cumulative release of funds under the scheme amounted to Rs. 9780
crore, against which the cumulative expenditure was Rs. 7253 crore.
About 6.8 lakh works have been recommended by the MPs under the
scheme. Of these, about 4.6 lakh works have been completed.
Public utility works
for drinking water supply, electrification, construction of roads,
bridges, school & hospital buildings and community halls and
drainage schemes and sanitation have been taken up under the scheme.
In addition, special schemes for computer education in government
schools/colleges and procurement of equipment like X-ray machines
etc. for government hospitals have been included within its scope.
