Several MPs belonging to ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh turned out to be big disappointment in spending of local area development funds sanctioned by the Centre in the last four and a half years, according to a latest report from the Centre.
Under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), the Centre gives Rs 5 crore to each MP per year. They can spend the money for their local area development at their discretion.
District collectors Concerned are responsible for executing the works suggested by the MPs under this scheme.
So, for the five years, all the 25 MPs are entitled to spend Rs 625 crore under this scheme. So far, the government of India released only Rs 417.5 crore in 167 instalments, but the MPs did not submit proposals for utilisation of around Rs 180 crore.
Most of these MPs are from the TDP, particularly those from Krishna, East Godavari, Anantapur and West Godavari, while those from Vizianagaram, Nellore, Kadapa, Visakhapatnam, and Srikakulam are slightly better.
Former Union minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju of Vizianagaram is the only leader who spent the maximum amount of MPLADS when compared with the others in the state.
Gajapati Raju spent more than Rs 22.5 crore out of the total entitled amount of Rs 25 crore.
Two other MPs Konakalla Narayana of Machilipatnam and Kesineni Srinivas of Vijayawada have spent just 50 per cent of the amount allocated to them. They spent just Rs 25 crore out of the total Rs 50 crore of their MPLADS funds.
Thota Narasimham of Kakinada, Maganti Murali Mohan of Rajamahendravaram and Pandula Ravindra Babu of Amalapuram (SC) Lok Sabha constituencies of East Godavari could spend only Rs 50 crore out of targeted Rs 75 crore.
Anantapur MP J C Diwakar Reddy and Hindupur MP Nimmala Kishtappa utilised only Rs 25 crore and proposals submitted for another Rs 5 crore. Still both these leaders have to submit proposals for remaining Rs 20 crore.
During the recent Collectors’ Conference held at Undavalli in Guntur, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed displeasure over the Lok Sabha members not utilising their funds effectively.