General VK Singh stirs Rajya Sabha row with MPLAD scheme quip

NEW DELHI: Minister of state for statistics and programme implementation Gen V K Singh incurred the opposition’s wrath on Thursday after he said in Rajya Sabha that wherever action is required to check violations in MPLAD scheme, the Centre gives instructions to recover money from the MP concerned.

While replying to supplementaries to a question on violations in the MPLAD scheme. the minister had said implementation of the scheme is done through state and district authorities. This was strongly objected to by AIADMK’s Paul Manoj Pandian, who said, “MPs only recommend and district authorities carry out the work.

The minister’s statement that the amount will be recovered from the MP is not accepted at all.” He was joined by Congress’ Anand Sharma, his party colleagues and several members from other parties. After an uproar in the House over the minister’s reply, chairman Hamid Ansari said, “If the answer is inadequate, there is a procedure by which that can be pointed out... if you are dissatisfied, you raise a half-an-hour discussion.”

At this, parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, “I can understand the anxiety and concern of the members. There is some confusion on account of the word used... we will discuss among ourselves and see that necessary clarification is issued.”