STEADY INCREASE IN UTILISATION
OF MONEY IN MPLADS
Under the Member
of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) a total amount
of Rs. 11209.30 crore has been released till 30 June 2003 against
which the cumulative expenditure of Rs. 8751.17 crore was done.
This shows 78.1 % utilization over the released amount. There
has been a steady increase in utilization of the money allocated
as in 1998 only 55% of the was spent under the scheme.
As per the data available
till 30 June 2003, Chandigarh tops among the States/UTs, which
made maximum utilization (97.5%) of the amount over the release,
followed by Daman & Diu with 93.5% and Mizoram with 93.2%
utilization respectively.
Launched on 23 December
1993, the MPLAD Scheme provides for allocation of funds for small
community oriented projects in the Constituencies/States of the
MPs. The purpose of the Scheme is to create durable assets for
the community on the basis of locally felt needs. The allocation
under the Scheme was doubled from the original Rs. one crore per
year in 1998-99. Now the MPs can recommend works costing upto
Rs. two crore per year. The amount is released to the head of
the nodal district concerned. There are two Parliamentary Committees
for monitoring the scheme.