Cabinet gives nod to restore MPLADS | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Cabinet gives nod to restore MPLADS

ByDeeksha Bhardwaj, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Nov 11, 2021 02:15 AM IST

The scheme was temporarily put on hold in April last year and the funds were placed with the finance ministry to deal with the pandemic.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved restoration of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for the remaining part of the current financial year till 2025-26, which will have a total fina-ncial implication of 17,417.00 crore.

Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur during the cabinet briefing at NMC, in New Delhi, Wednesday,(PTI)
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur during the cabinet briefing at NMC, in New Delhi, Wednesday,(PTI)

The MPLAD scheme was temporarily put on hold in April last year, after the outbreak of Covid-19, and the funds were placed with the finance ministry to deal with the pandemic.

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Addressing reporters here, information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to restore the scheme for the remaining part of financial year 2021-22. The scheme will continue till 2025-26.

Under the scheme, each MP will get 2 crore in one instalment for development activities for the remainder of 2021-22 and annually 5 crore, in two instalments of 2.5 crore each, thereafter, he added.

“During Covid-19, a decision had been taken by the Cabinet that for two years, 2020-21 to 2021-22, MPLAD scheme money will be used in the fight against the pandemic. And all parliamentarians had also enthusiastically given their consent to contribute in the fight against Covid,” Thakur said.

“I am glad to share with you that in view of the improvement in economic scenario, the way economic recovery has taken place and we have seen growth in various sectors as well, a decision has been taken to restore the MPLAD Scheme for the remainder of the fiscal 2021-22,” he added.

In a notification issued separately, the Centre said that as the country was now on the road to economic recovery and “the scheme continues to be beneficial for the creation of durable community assets, in fulfilling the aspirations of locally felt needs of the community, in skill development and creation of jobs across the country, thereby helpful in achieving the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat”, a decision has been taken to restore the Parliamentarians’ access to the funds.

“The objective of the scheme is to enable MPs to recommend works of developmental nature with emphasis on the creation of durable community assets in the areas of drinking water, primary education, public health, sanitation and roads, etc. primarily in their Constituencies,” the notification added.

Several MPs belonging to opposition parties had sought the restoration of MPLAD funds during debates in Parliament. While a Lok Sabha MP can use the fund in his or her constituency, Rajya Sabha members can fund any project in the state.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to set up 10 tribal museums across the country to mark Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15.

“The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, today approved declaration of 15th November as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas dedicated to the memory of brave tribal freedom fighters so that coming generations could know about their sacrifices about the country,” the statement said.

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