Asif Iqbal Naik
SRINAGAR
The government of Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday stated that 12 Members of Parliament (MP) have spent Rs 134.35014 Crore under Member Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme in different areas of Jammu and Kashmir during 2009-14 period.
In a written reply to BJP MLA Sat Paul Sharma, the minister in charge Planning Development and Monitoring Department stated that in addition to Rs 134.35014 Crore provided by the Government of India under MPLAD scheme, Rs 639.2374 Crore were spent by the state government in 22 Districts of the state under Constituency Development Fund (CDF) released by the state government to MLAs/MLCs during 2008-14, thus a whooping amount of Rs. 773.58754 Crore was spent in the state of Jammu and Kashmir under MPLAD and CDF during all these years.
As per the data revealed by the Planning Development and Monitoring Department, former Congress MP and now BJP Minister in Ms Mehbooba Mufti led government, Chowdhary Lal Singh tops the list of utilization of MPLAD funds with Rs 20.7530 Crore followed by former National Conference MP and now PDP chief Spokesperson Dr Mirza Mehboob Beg who utilized Rs 20.1544 Crore of MPLAD funds.
Former Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma utilized Rs 18.4085 Crore MPLAD funds; former NC MP Ghulam Nabi Ratanpuri utilized Rs 18.3385 Crore MPLAD funds, National Conference President and former Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah utilized Rs 17.4602 Crore of MPLAD funds, Ex-MP Ghulam Hassan Khan utilized 160658 Crore MPLAD funds while former union Minister and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha utilized Rs 5.5149 Crore MPLAD funds in the state while other MPs failed to utilize the maximum amount out of their MPLAD funds.
Each MP is entitled to Rs 5 Crore MPLAD funds every year while each MLA/MLC in the state are entitled for Rs 1.50 Crore CDF every year.
Meanwhile, 195 MLAs/MLCs utilized Rs 639.2374 Crore CDF in the state during 2009-14 period.
As per the data released by the government, out of Rs 639.2374 Crore CDF utilized in the state during 2009-14, Rs 276.66919 Crore were spent in 10 districts of Kashmir province with Kupwara topping the list with Rs 48.08252 Crore followed by Islamabad with Rs 39.45334 Crore; Srinagar Rs 37.63.43 Crore; Budgam Rs 32.56352 Crore; Baramulla Rs 26.24054 Crore; Pulwama Rs 24.1494; Kulgam Rs 19.5458 Crore; Bandipora Rs 19.6346 Crore; Ganderbal Rs 19.0338 Crore and Shopian Rs 18.27137 Crore.
The twin districts of Ladakh utilized Rs 38.0136 Crore under CDF which include Rs 19.4554 Crore by Leh and Rs 18.5582 Crore by Kargil.
Similarly, 10 Districts of Jammu province utilized an amount of Rs 321.55461 Crore under CDF and Jammu district tops the list with Rs 115.82838 Crore followed by Poonch with Rs 35.30335 Crore; Rajouri Rs 30.8343 Crore; Kathua Rs 29.02073 Crore; Reasi Rs 23.7646 Crore; Udhampur Rs 23.38433 Crore; Kishtwar Rs 18.70 Crore; Doda Rs 18.2394 Crore; Samba Rs 15.48526 Crore and Ramban with Rs 10.99426 Crore falls at the bottom of the list in terms of CDF funds.
Among the MLAs/MLCs, former Finance Minister in Omar Abdullah Government Abdul Rahim Rather tops the list and has utilized Rs 7.27724 Crore CDF followed by Independent MLA Er Sheikh Abdul Rashid with Rs 7.1806 Crore, former NC MLA and MoS Home Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Congress MLA and Former R&B Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori utilized Rs 6.85 Crore each under CDF.
Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed utilized Rs 5.4210 Crore under CDF in Islamabad Constituency while another former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah utilized Rs 5.3034 Crore CDF in his Ganderbal Constituency.
It is pertinent to mention that all the MLAs and MLCs have this year submitted a memorandum to the government with regard to enhancement of CDF from existing Rs 1.50 Crore to Rs. 5 Crore with the plea that enhancement in CDF will help them to carry out the various developmental works in their respective constituencies.
