MLAs and ministers in Telangana hoard funds for election spend

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has taken serious note of the fact that some MLAs and a few ministers are not spending the money allotted to them under the Constituency Development Programme.

According to a report prepared by the state government, in the last three years only 15 out of 119 MLAs had spent about 75 per cent of the funds allocated to them under the CDP. It said 64 MLAs had spent between 50 and 75 per cent of the funds, and 37 MLAs between 25 and 50 per cent.

Four MLAs — B. Ganesh (Nizamabad Urban), Dasyam Vinaya Bhaskar (Warangal West), Konda Surekha (Warangal East) and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao — had spent less than 25 per cent of funds in the last three years.

Surprisingly, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao himself has spent less than 50 per cent of the funds.  Opposition leader K. Jana Reddy has spent more than 75 per cent of funds in his Nagarjunasagar constituency.

The government had provided Rs 1.50 crore in 2015-16 to each of the 120 MLAs (including the nominated member) and 40 MLCs. The amount was doubled to Rs 3 crore for 2016-17. Over three years, each MLA and MLC was provided an aggregate of Rs 7.50 crore.  The fund do not lapse, and are carried over to the next year.

An MLA said: “Legislators prefer keeping the money for the first few years and spending it only before elections. They believe that this way people will remember what the MLA has done for the constituency and vote for them again.”

In the Cabinet, forest minister Jogu Ramanna (Adilabad) has spent more than 75 per cent of the funds, tribal welfare minister A. Chandulal (Mulugu) less than 50 per cent. Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudanachary (Bhupalpally) has spent less than 50 per cent and Deputy Speaker Padma Deven-der Reddy (Medak) 75 per cent. 

Opposition MLAs fared significantly better. PCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy (Huzurnagar) and Congress MLAs D.K. Aruna (Gadwal), J. Geeta Reddy (Zaheera-bad), BJP MLA G. Kishan Reddy (Amber-pet), Telangana BJP president and Dr K. Laxman (Musheera-bad), Telugu Desam MLA A. Revanth Reddy (Kodangal) and MIM floor leader Akbarud-din Owaisi (Chandray-anagutta) have spent about 75 per cent of the funds in the development of their individual constituency.

According to the state government report, Nizamabad Rural MLA Bajireddy Govardhan had spent less than 50 per cent of the funds. When contacted, he said he had spent all the funds and was waiting for more.

The Chief Minister is thinking of reframing the guidelines for CDP along the lines of MP Local Area Development Scheme. The Centre provides Rs 5 crore a year to every MP. The funds are released in two installments. The centre releases Rs 2.50 crore in the first tranche. If the MP has Rs 1.75 crore unspent, the second instalment is not released.

According to officials close to Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, he is also contemplating the idea of releasing the funds as reimbursement, which means an MLA will be eligible to get funds only after spending on the development of the constituency.

Funds for each MLA
 2015-16: Rs 1.50 crore
 2016-17: Rs 3 crore
 2017-18: Rs 3 crore

Funds spent by MLAs in 3 years
 Below 25%: 4
 25-50%: 37
 50-75%: 64
 75%+: 15 

Not much spent
Chief Minister K. Chandra-sekhar Rao: Below 50%
IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao: Below 25%
Forest minister J. Ramanna: 75%+

50-75%
T. Harish Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Etala Rajendar, P. Mahendar Reddy, Talasani Srinivasa Yadav, K. Padma Rao, Jupally Krishna Rao, G. Jagadish Reddy.

Opposition MLAs
 K. Jana Reddy (Cong): 75%
 G. Kishan Reddy (BJP): 75%
 Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM): 75%
 Sunnam Rajaiah (CPM): 50%
 A. Revanth Reddy (TD): 75%

Ministers Less than 50% spent
 A. Chandulal, Dr C. Laxma Reddy, A. Indrakaran Reddy