Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 11: While Jammu and Kashmir legislators were still struggling to get their Constituency Development Fund (CDF) increased from meager Rs 1.5 crores per annum, the Central Government was set to raise Member’s Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme funds from Rs 5 cr per annum per Member of Parliament (MP) to Rs 25 crore per annum.
The decision would give boost to developmental works in Jammu and Kashmir too as it would gain an additional sum of Rs 200 crores per year through its 10 MPs-six of Lok Sabha and four Rajya Sabha.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government of India, in a major incentive for its 788 Members of Parliament, was mulling five time increase in the MPLAD, which is meant for the MPs to carry out developmental works in the constituencies they represent in two Houses of Parliament-Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha has 543 MPs and Rajya Sabha 245.
“The increase could be implemented soon,” they said, adding as per the new scheme each MP could now get Rs 25 crore per annum under the MPLAD instead of Rs 5 crore per annum, which they were getting presently.
While Lok Sabha members have their constituencies specified, a Rajya Sabha member has to mention his constituency before Presiding Officer of the Upper House for the purpose of MPLAD expenditure.
The 500 per cent upcoming increase in the MPLAD fund would also give boost to developmental work in Jammu and Kashmir, which has a total of 10 MPs-six in Lok Sabha and four in Rajya Sabha.
“Presently, MPs from Jammu and Kashmir were getting only Rs 50 crores under the MPLAD funds-Rs 5 crore for each MP-which would go up to Rs 250 crores when the amount per MP is increased to Rs 25 crore per annum,” sources said, adding this way the State of Jammu and Kashmir would benefit by Rs 200 crore per annum which would boost the developmental works.
Six Lok Sabha MPs from Jammu and Kashmir included Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti (Anantnag-Pulwama), Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in PMO (Udhampur-Doda), Jugal Kishore Sharma (Jammu-Poonch), Thupstan Chhewang (Ladakh), Muzaffar Hussain Beigh (Baramulla-Kupwara) and Tariq Hamid Karra (Srinagar-Budgam). Four Rajya Sabha members from the State are Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Shamsher Singh Manhas (BJP), Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir (both PDP).
Only few days back, the legislators of Jammu and Kashmir had raised the demand for increase in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of MLAs/MLCs in Jammu and Kashmir with effect from the current financial year. They were of the view that Rs 1.5 crore worth CDF for the legislators was too meager to meet the demands of their constituencies and it should be enhanced to at least Rs 5 crore per annum.
Finance Minister Dr Haseeb A Drabu had assured the agitating legislators, cutting across the party affiliations that a decision on their demand for increase in the CDF would be taken soon.
Sources said the State Government could take a decision on the increase in CDF of the legislators in the State before June 30 i.e. the last day of ongoing budget session of the Legislature.
The Finance Minister in consultations with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who holds charge of the Planning and Development Department, could take a decision on hike in CDF of the legislators taking Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta and Council Chairman Haji Inayat Ali on board, both of whom had assured the legislators that they will project their demand for increase in the CDF.
Last increase in CDF of the legislators was effected during the tenure of NC-Congress coalition Government, headed by Omar Abdullah. The present PDP-BJP coalition Government has, so far, kept the CDF unchanged.
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