Unlike lok Sabha MPs, the Rajya Sabha MPs from the ruling Congress party are bit fast in utilising their MPlAD funds. Former Union Minister and Congress MP from Gurdaspur Ashwani Kumar has come out on top among Rajya Sabha members from the State for utilising the largest proportion of the official funds allotted to him for his constituency.
Kumar has managed to spend 93.27 per cent of the MPlAD funds. Out of the total available amount of Rs 15.84 crore, he has spent Rs 13.99 crore, with an unspent amount of Rs 1.85 crore.
According to data released recently by the Parliament, seven RS members from Punjab were allotted total funds of Rs 163 crore, and spent Rs 87.42 crore out of the available amount of Rs 120.36 crore. Another Congress MP and senior party leader Ambika Soni has 82.48 per cent utilisation, former Minister MS Gill has 89.63 per cent utilisation.
Among Akali-BJP MPs, maximum 83.03 per cent utilisation of funds was made by Akali MP Naresh Gujral. BJP MP Avinash Rai Khanna has 56.97 per cent utilisation, while Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has 54.62 per cent and Balwinder Singh Bhunder has 45.88 per cent.