Karnataka’s MPs have failed to fully utilise their Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme funds, alleged the Congress party.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson M. Lakshmana said the MPs of Karnataka, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, were entitled to a total of ₹488 crore under MPLAD scheme during their five-year term. Of this, barely ₹225 crore had been released under the scheme so far, he claimed.
Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on December 10, Mr Lakshmana said the annual allocation for MPs from Karnataka under the MPLAD scheme was ₹144 crore. But, only ₹60 crore had been released so far this year, he claimed, and questioned when MPs from Karnataka will secure release of the remaining funds.
Mr Lakshmana said Mysuru MP Pratap Simmha is entitled to ₹17 crore. He alleged that the Mysuru MP had not got even half of this amount. He also questioned the progress achieved in Karimuddanahalli in Hunsur taluk, which had been adopted as a model village, during the last five years.
With barely two months – January and February – left for the year to conclude, as the notification for the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled to be issued in March, Mr Lakshmana questioned when the remainder of the funds will be used by the MP. The Mysuru MP could have used the funds even for arranging fodder for the cattle at a time when the State was passing through drought.
Citing reports in a section of the media, Mr Lakshmana said the Mysuru MP, who had earlier promised a metro for Mysuru, is now claiming that metro is not possible for a city that does not have a population of 40 lakh.
He said the BJP is raising false hopes among the people of the region by referring to the microchip unit planned at Kadakola on the outskirts of Mysuru at a cost of ₹22,000 crore. “Where has it gone? It has been shifted to Gujarat,” Mr Lakshmana said.
Responding to the charges of BJP against the financial situation in Karnataka, Mr Lakshmana said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will present a white paper during the ongoing Assembly session in Belagavi. He claimed that Congress government had released ₹28,000 crore for the guarantee schemes during the last six months out of the ₹56,000 crore needed annually.
Central dues, including ₹40,000 crore GST dues and ₹8,000 crore NREGA dues, are pending. “Though the BJP has 26 MPs, not a single one of them has even bothered to write a letter to the Centre,” he said.
On expulsion of Trinamool MP
Mr Lakshmana said the Congress party condemns the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha.
“Mahua Moitra’s expulsion reflects BJP anti-women attitude,” he said while alleging that the expelled MP was not given a chance to record her statement. “The expulsion was unilateral, based on a Dubai-based complainant, who did not come before the parliamentary panel hearing the matter,” he said.
The TMC MP was expelled just because she was questioning the government’s alleged nexus with business magnate Gautam Adani, he said.
