MPs fail to use up LAD funds; Allocations set to lapse in May

NEW DELHI: As the 15th Lok Sabha draws to its close in May this year, data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reveals that a whopping portion of MP-LAD funds will lapse in almost every state in the country.

None of the MPs in the country have been able to utilise the full Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds which are allocated for infrastructural development in their respective constituencies.

In the national capital, only 70 per cent of a total of Rs 93.75 crore made available to Lok Sabha MPs could be used, which leaves around Rs 28.80 crore as unspent funds.

Northern states witnessed similar lapses. Out of Rs 178.64 crore provided to Haryana MPs, 24.15 per cent is set to lapse while more than 25 per cent of the money remained unspent in Punjab.

With Rs 344.26 crore remaining unspent out of a total of Rs 1,306 crore given to MPs in the state, Uttar Pradesh led the list for MP-LAD funds lying unused.

The data suggests that it is the northern states which are amongst the worst performers when it comes to unsused MPLAD funds with their eastern and southern counterparts having performed comparatively better.

On the western side, faster developing states like Gujarat saw a lapse of 25.50 per cent of the said funds, which amounts to Rs 98.13 crore.

Rajasthan MPs left Rs 98.29 crore unspent. While 32.36 per cent of the funds were unused in Bihar, West Bengal will see 29.65 per cent of the allocation lapse.

However, states which have been constantly performing well vis-a-vis literacy rates and sex ratio, like Mizoram and Manipur, saw a more efficient utilisation of MPLAD resources with only 6.19 per cent going to waste in Mizoram while Manipur will have to return 17.66 per cent of its total allocation.