After 20 months, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to restore the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).
Addressing the media, Information Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that MPLADS funds would be restored for the remaining part of the Financial Year 2021-22 and up to the Financial Year 2025-26 co-terminus with the period of the 15th Finance Commission. The annual MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is `5 crore, released in two installments of `2.5 crore each, subject to the fulfillment of conditions as per the MPLADS guidelines.
“The Finance Ministry will release MPLADS funds at the rate of `2 crore per Member of Parliament for the remaining period of FY 2021-22 in one installment and at the rate of `5 crore per annum per Member of Parliament during FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26 in two installments of `2.5 crore each. Since the inception of the scheme, a total of 19,86,206 works/projects have been completed with the financial implication of `54,171 crore,” said the Government in a statement.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved the declaration of November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas for the commemoration of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. November 15 is the birth anniversary of the tribal freedom fighter.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for committed price support of Rs 17,408.85 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the cotton seasons from 2014-15 to 2020-21. “In order to safeguard the interests of the cotton farmers, it is expedient to conduct price support operations in cotton years 2014-15 to 2020-21 as cotton prices touched the MSP prices. Its implementation enhances the inclusiveness of the cotton farmers in the economic activity of the country. Price support operations help stabilise the cotton prices and alleviate farmer’s distress,” said Thakur.
The CCEA also approved mechanism for procurement of ethanol by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies under Ethanol Blended Petrol programme revised - ethanol price for supply to Public Sector OMCs for Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22. The Cabinet approved reservation norms for Jute Packaging Materials for Jute Year 2021-22 under JPM Act, 1987. The compulsorily 100 per cent foodgrains and 20 per cent of sugar to be packed in jute bags. This will benefit to 3,70,000 workers employed in jute mills and ancillary units as well as support the livelihood of around 40 lakh farmer families, said Thakur.