Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol’s Rs 7-cr MPLAD funds unspent

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, December 14

Even as voters of the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency keenly await developmental projects to be initiated in their area, MP Sunny Deol remains indecisive over spending Rs 7 crore of Member Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds which are lying unspent for want of recommendations from his side.

Opposition leaders sarcastically term this “as the actor’s largesse to those very voters who elected him by 70,000 votes.” The scheme was formulated in 1993 to enable parliamentarians to recommend developmental works in their constituencies. The funds are regulated by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Each MP is given Rs 5 crore per year.

Officials say it is not necessary for an MP to physically visit his constituency to get the work done or inspect it. He just has to give his recommendations to the district authorities which, in turn, execute the works.

In the first year of his term, Deol sanctioned money for ambulances, gyms and health infrastructure. The funds were suspended for a year following the Covid pandemic. At present, Rs 2 crore for the year 2021-22 is lying with the district administration and Rs 5 crore for 2022-23 with the Central government pending recommendations of the MP.

“We fail to comprehend as to why our MP is not spending money on us. After all he does not have to fund projects from his own pocket. This is the taxpayers’ money meant to be spent on the public. We live in a border area where not much development has been seen,” said Daljit Kaur, a teacher.

Villagers living near Keshopur Chhamb, considered to be one of the biggest wetlands in the country, say funds should be sanctioned to improve the condition of the approach roads.

Taxpayers’ money

We fail to understand as to why our MP is not spending money on us. This is the taxpayers’ money meant to be spent on the public. We live in a border area where not much development has been seen. — Daljit Kaur, teacher

Results soon

The MP is in the process of recommending works and the results will be seen soon. — Pankaj Joshi, Sunny Deol’s PA

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