Pune: There are four Lok Sabha constituencies - Pune City, Baramati, Shirur and Maval - in Pune district. Of the 991 works undertaken using Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds, 290 are yet to be completed even 2-3 years after their initiation. Thus, the funds have been blocked and people are deprived of benefits. These are the remarks made in the audit report by the Principal Accountant General Audit, Pune zonal office.
The MPs in the district are BJP’s Anil Shirole from Pune city, NCP’s Supriya Sule from Baramati, Shiv Sena’s Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil from Shirur and Shrirang Barne from Maval.
City-based activist Vihar Durve had sought the inspection reports on the accounts of the district collector, Pune from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2018, which is done under Section 13 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service Act.
According to the audit report, the MPLAD scheme is being implemented by the Indian Government since 1993-94. Presently, all annual entitlement of Rs 5 crore is released in respect of each MP in two equal installments of Rs 2.5 crore by the government directly to the district authority of the nodal district of the MP concerned.
The district collector/ district magistrate is generally the district authority to implement the MPLAD scheme in the district. The detailed guidelines for implementation of the scheme are issued by the government from time to time.
It states there are four constituencies represented by MPs within the jurisdiction of the Collector’s Office, Pune viz. Shirur, Pune City, Baramati and Maval.
The term of the MPs is from 2014-15 to 2018-19.
The responsibility of monitoring the works recommended by the MPs under MPLADS and follow up with the implementing agencies lies with the Collector’s Office.
“As per the guidelines issued by Gol, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in Nov-2005, the time limit for completion of the works should generally not exceed one year. However, after a scrutiny of the Monthly Progress Reports for February 2018 and other documents, it was observed that the works were at incomplete stages. It was seen that total 991 works were sanctioned during the period 2014-15 till date in the four Lok Sabha constituencies of Pune, out of which 290 are yet be completed as on date of the audit. Even after the lapse of period ranging from 2 to 3 years, the works are incomplete resulting in blocking of funds and depriving the people of the benefits, for which the asset is proposed to be created,” the audit report stated.
When contacted, Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram told Sakal Times, “We are taking regular reviews regarding the works. I have instructed all departments concerned to complete them within two months.”
