Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, Jun 22: Local Block Congress Committee president, Harish Kumar, has accused Dakshina Kannada MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, of not spending anything from the funds allotted to him under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

He was addressing a press conference here on Tuesday June 21. Providing figures to substantiate his allegation, he informed that a sum of six crore rupees had been sanctioned to the MP till June 7. “Out of this, Rs 3.61 crore has been released so far. But Nalin has neither sought release or grants, nor taken steps to make use this fund. By not taking interest to utilize this fund, he has allowed the amount to rot in the treasury. Instead of setting his own house in order, Nalin has been speaking about the improper utilization of grants by MLAs. I suggest to him to limit himself to things that are within his jurisdiction,” Kumar quipped.

He felt that the MP does not have the power to scrutinize the development works undertaken under the government schemes, by asking the officials to be present at the travellers’ bungalow, in the name of progress review meetings. “If he wants, he can participate in the quarterly meetings of Karnataka Development Programmes. He is wrong in giving a dressing down to officials through the office bearers of his party. Our party condemns this behaviour, and calls upon the government employees not to take part in such unauthorized meetings henceforth. If the MP convenes such meetings again, our party will stage protests,” he warned.

He asked the MP to pay attention to the damaged stretches of national highway at Shiradi, and between Mangalore and Kadur, instead of attending to things he should not be worried about.

Zilla panchayat member, Shylesh Kumar, Keshava Belal, and Jagadish D were present at the press conference.