Rajya Sabha MPs reluctant to use Rs 30 crore to develop villages
Centre denying MPs an opportunity to adopt a state of their choice
Hyderabad: Nominated MP Sachin Tendulkar, TRS MP K. Kavitha and other MPs hog the limelight for adopting villages under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) and use MPLADS funds.
However, things are not easy for six Rajya Sabha MPs of Telangana and AP.
The MPs are M.A. Khan, Dr K. Kesava Rao, Ms Renuka Chowdary and T. Devender Goud, who hail from Telangana region.
Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao and C.M. Ramesh, proponents of Samaikhya Andhra, were allotted Telangana.
With the Centre denying them an opportunity to adopt a state of their choice, the six MPs are foregoing MPLADS funds of Rs 30 crore. If the MPs do not select the village or villages in their allotted states or utilise funds, the district collectors have the powers to do it.
“We are unable to use Rs 30 crore for public good. It is not a big issue to bring in an amendment and allot the state of our choice. I have a vote in Hyderabad, but I am allotted to AP,” lamented M.A. Khan, Congress Rajya Sabha member.
Under the scheme, each Lok Sabha MP can suggest the District Collector to take up works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum in his or her constituency.
A Rajya Sabha MP can recommend work in one or more districts in the state from where he or she has been elected while nominated MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may select any district from any state in the country for implementation of their choice of work under the scheme.
Call them bifurcation victims, and want to represent the state have been allotted Andhra Pradesh through draw of lots under the A P Reorganisation Act.
All the six MPs are keeping away from their allotted states.
“We will give a representation to the Union minister of urban development and parliamentary affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu again to take steps to allot the state of our choice. When IAS, IPS can have a choice, why not MPs? The allotment of states under A P Reorganisation Act is wrong. Mr Naidu told us it needs constitutional amendment,” M.A. Khan, Rajya Sabha Congress MP told this newspaper.
Khan, who is in camping in New Delhi, said he and other affected MPs would meet Naidu and request him to take steps in the ensuing Parliament session so that they could select the district of their choice, spend funds and participate in official functions. Sachin Tendulkar adopted Puttamraju Kandrika village located in Gudur mandal of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh for developing it as a smart village with nearly Rs 4 crore from his MPLADS funds. The funds are being used for electricity, roads, drinking water supply, community hall, school amenities, Wi Fi among others. Similarly, TRS MP Ms Kavita adopted three villages in her Nizamabad constituency, while another TRS MP B. Vinod Kumar in Karimnagar district.