The Opposition on Thursday took objection to initiation of action against MPs for violations of Members of Parliament local Area Development Scheme (MPlADS) forcing Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to give an assurance that the Government will clear the “confusion” and issue necessary clarifications.
He stepped in after several MPs — including Congress leader Anand Sharma and others — objected to Minister for Programme Implementation VK Singh’s reply that the Government gives instructions to nodal officers to recover funds from MPs in case of violations of MPlAD scheme in bad faith.
“The implementation of MPlAD scheme is done through State authorities and district authorities...The CAG also carries out an audit. Wherever an issue has been found, the State authorities have been told to take punitive action...Where action is required, we do give instructions to recover that money from the particular MP if it has been done in bad faith,” Singh said while replying to supplementaries during Question Hour.
Agitated Elders said the MPs only recommend and the various programmes are implemented by the District Magistrate or the nodal officer and such an action was not at all acceptable. As members continued to express their concern, Naidu said “I can understand the anxiety and concern of the members. There is some confusion on account of the word used...There seems to be some confusion and we will discuss among ourselves and see that necessary clarification is issued.”
He said accountability rests on the District Magistrate to ascertain the violations. “This is not a political issue, it concerns all members. If the MP makes a suggestion or recommendation, then it is within the rules that has to be seen by the DM or the nodal officer. Then if the work is out of the purview of guidelines, then the work can be deleted.”