MPLADS: Squandering of public money

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: The Comptroller and Auditor General has detected large scale irregularities in the utilization of funds under the MP’s Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) in Andhra Pradesh.
“The monetary value of various irregularities\deficiencies in the implementation of MPLADS worked out to Rs 70.29 crore between 2003-04 and 2008-09 financial years. The irregularities include non-completion of works, diversion of funds, irregular payments, etc.,” the CAG said in its report (civil) for the year ended March 31, 2009, tabled in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
While works taken up under MPLADS have to be completed within one year, as many as 2,657 works taken up between 2003-04 and 2006-07 still remain incomplete. A sum of Rs 9.07 crore was already spent on these unfinished works.
Similarly, 1360 works sanctioned during the same period at a cost of Rs 23.37 crore were not even started, resulting in locking up of funds, the CAG report pointed out.
In respect of Lok Sabha members, a sum of Rs 1.90 crore was not passed on to the successor MPs in Vizianagaram and West Godavari districts and it thus remained unspent as of January 2009. In case of Rajya Sabha members from the state, the amount was Rs 75 lakh.
In Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency, 14 works worth Rs 33 lakh were sanctioned by the district Collector in 2006-07 on the recommendation of an officer in charge though the MP concerned did not recommend them. Utilisation certificates were not submitted in respect of works worth Rs 3.85 crore in Vizianagaram, Guntur and Prakasam districts, the report said.
The report also noted that monitoring of the MPLADS works by the Chief Planning Officers was poor while there was also no proper accounting and monitoring system for effective implementation of the scheme.