Lok Sabha Debates
Need To Increase The Amount Of Mplads Fund To Atleast Rs. 2 Crore Per Mla ... on 20 November, 2019
Seventeenth Loksabha > Title: Need to increase the amount of MPLADS fund to atleast Rs. 2 crore per MLA constituency.
SHRI SU. THIRUNAVUKKARASAR (TIRUCHIRAPPALLI): Thank you very much, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I want to raise an important issue not for myself only. I am talking for all the hon. MPs, not only elected now, but also for those who are going to be elected in future including yourself, Sir! It will be useful to you and Ministers also. This is regarding MP Local Area Development Funds. …(Interruptions). Please give me two minutes. It was started in 1993-94 with Rs.5 lakh. Then it was increased in 1998-99 to Rs.2 crore. It was further increased in 2011-12 to Rs.5 crore. But for the last 7-8 years, there has been no increase. Sir, Dr. Kalaignar was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1988-89. At that time, I was an MLA. I was the first person to make the request in the House. Then Chief Minister, Dr. Kalaignar announced Rs.25 lakh for MLA Local Area Development Fund. Now, after 30 years, it is Rs.3 crore in Tamil Nadu. …(Interruptions). I am coming to that point. In Kerala, it is Rs.6 crore. In Delhi, it is Rs.4 crore and is planning to increase it to Rs.10 crore. So, on an average, in almost all the States, they have increased it something between Rs. 2 crore and Rs. 10 crore. This is only for one MLA segment. MP constituencies are having in some areas like in Tamil Nadu six MLA constituencies, in Kerala seven, and in some States it is eight. I would request the Government to increase the MP Local Area Development Fund to at least Rs. 2 crore per MLA constituency. This is a very minimum amount.
HON. SPEAKER: Next is Shri K. Shanmuga Sundaram.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SU. THIRUNAVUKKARASAR : Sir, give me one more minute. The MLAs are having office buildings in the Constituency, but there is no office space for MPs. So, I request the Government to please allow Rs. 50 lakh out of the MPLAD Fund to construct an MP office in the headquarters of the Parliamentary Constituency. …(Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: Next is Shri K. Shanmuga Sundaram. Is he present?
… (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: Next, Shri Haji Fazlur Rehman.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI SU. THIRUNAVUKKARASAR : Sir, one more minute. Out of this Fund, we have to spend nearly 22 per cent, that is, 15 per cent for SC; 7.2 per cent for ST; for a national calamity one can give Rs. 1 crore; and for State calamity one can give Rs. 25 lakh. …(Interruptions) This money should not go waste. It should not be spent lavishly, and no corruption should be there. The Government could have a monitoring committee to monitor this, but it may try to increase this amount and at least double it. So, per MLA constituency, it should be at least Rs. 2 crore. It will be useful to the Ministers also. So, I would request the Government to consider this as early as possible, and I think that all the MPs will support this request. Thank you, Sir.