SRINAGAR: Rajya Sabha MP and Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan has rejected reports claiming that only Rs 26 lakh of his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds have been utilised, describing the figures as misleading and factually incorrect.
In a statement, Ramzan said the reports circulated by certain news channels and digital news portals did not reflect the actual financial position or the developmental works proposed under his MPLADS allocations.
He said he took oath as a Member of Parliament on December 1, 2025, and that the process of accessing and releasing MPLADS funds involved several mandatory formalities, including the selection of a nodal district, completion of administrative procedures and creation of an MPLADS account.
According to him, the process takes around five to six months, following which funds are released and made available for developmental works. He said the funds had become available only a few months ago.
Ramzan said MPLADS-funded projects also require administrative scrutiny, approval from the concerned authorities and completion of the tendering process. Consequently, several proposed works are currently at different stages of tendering, which, he said, should not be interpreted as non-utilisation of funds or a lack of developmental activity.
According to the revised financial statement cited by him, against the total available funds of Rs 7.35 crore, Rs 5.091 crore has been released.
He said MPLADS allocations had been extended to Srinagar, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara and Budgam districts, covering various public welfare and infrastructure sectors.
The proposed works include drinking water supply, road connectivity, electricity, construction and improvement of pathways, solar and street lighting, fire and emergency services, hospital equipment, block-level development works, protection walls, culverts and assistance under the disability fund.
Ramzan also said that Rs 60 lakh had been allocated to SKIMS Soura for developmental purposes and that the project was currently undergoing the tendering process.
He emphasised that MPLADS funds were being directed towards addressing essential public needs and strengthening basic infrastructure across different areas. While several projects were at different stages of execution, others were undergoing administrative and tendering procedures, he said.
He further said that similar administrative procedures and timelines applied to his fellow party MPs, whose developmental proposals were also at different stages of processing and tendering.
The actual status of the works could be independently verified through the concerned Deputy Commissioners, whom he identified as the nodal authorities responsible for MPLADS implementation.
Ramzan said portraying the entire utilisation status through the selective figure of Rs 26 lakh, without taking into account the broader financial position and developmental allocations, presented a distorted picture.
He urged news channels and digital news portals to verify official records before publishing financial figures and immediately correct the reports that had been circulated.
