By Archana Sharma
Jaipur, Mar 29 (IANS): Rajasthan's 25 members of the 16th Lok Sabha on an average used 83.45 per cent of the funds released under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) during 2014-2019, said the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
"Of the Rs 507.50 crore funds released by the central government for the 25 parliamentary constituencies, Rs 423.53 crore was spent, which is 83.45 per cent," said the Ministry.
All the 25 MPs elected in May 2014 belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Two MPs -- Sanwarmal Jat from Ajmer and Mahant Chand Nath Yogi from Alwar -- died in 2017.
In the by-elections, the Congress emerged the winner. while Raghu Sharma won from Ajmer, Karan Singh Yadav registered victory from Alwar.
As each member is entitled to Rs 25 crore for five years at the rate of Rs 5 crore per year, the total entitlement for them was Rs 625 crore. But for 27 MPs, after by-elections, the total fund was Rs 630 crore.
Cumulative funds, including the interest available with the respective districts, were Rs 531.04 crore, the cumulative amount recommended by the members for various works was Rs 594.81 crore and the cumulative amount sanctioned by the respective districts was Rs 506.10 crore.
"Of the Rs 531.04 crore cumulative funds with the 33 districts in the state, Rs 107.54 crore was the cumulative not spent amount," said the report.
The MP's role, under the scheme, is limited to recommending the projects. The respective district administration is responsible to sanction, execute and complete the works within the stipulated period.
Union minister of state for sports and Information and Broadcasting Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore used maximum Rs 19.38 crore of the Rs 21.21 crore released. Rs 1.83 crore remained as unspent in his Jaipur Rural constituency.
Another Union minister for state Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (BJP) used 88.27 per cent (Rs 13.54 crore) of the Rs 15.11 crore, with Rs 1.57 crore remaining unspent in his Jodhpur constituency.
Harish Chandra Meena from Dausa used 69.27 per cent of the funds (Rs 12.37 crore) of the Rs 17.80 crore, leaving Rs 5.43 crore unspent.
In fact, Sanwarmal Jat who passed away in 2017 gave a stupendous performance by using 104.52 per cent funds of the Rs 23.95 crore in his three years.