Govt stalling use of MPLAD funds, alleges Hisar MP

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, January 16

INLD MP Dushyant Chautala today alleged that the state authorities were deliberately stalling his efforts to utilise Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds for public welfare.

Accusing the authorities, including the Chief Minister, of creating hurdles, the MP said his grant was being returned and the announcements not being implemented deliberately so that he could not spend his quota of MPLAD funds for the benefit of people of his constituency.

“I sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for installing closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at various strategic points in the town after identifying these by coordinating with the IGP and the SP. I also released the grant on the demand of the police and the district administration. But strangely, the municipal authorities are not utilising this grant and have even applied brakes to the scheme,” Dushyant alleged.

He said another grant of Rs 2.8 lakh was released for installing CCTVs in the Sundernagar area and the Municipal Corporation had even invited tenders for the purpose.

Satish Beniwal, local INLD spokesperson, said the entire amount of 17.8 lakh has been returned to the MPLAD funds implementing official in the ADC office by the municipal authorities. He said another grant of Rs 5 lakh, which was sanctioned from the Development plan fund of the district for installing CCTVs in Hansi town, too had been sent back to the authorities concerned.

The MP said earlier, his grant for installing a Wi-Fi set-up in Juglan village of the district too was stalled by the authorities, which was now likely to be implemented after he took up the issue with the Centre. “Such attempts expose the designs of the politicians in power, who don’t want me to utilise the funds for public welfare,” he said.