Karnataka MPs utilised 79.3% of MPLADS funds; Sreeramulu topper, Deve Gowda second

Agencies

March 29, 2019

Bengaluru, Mar 29: Karnataka's 28 lawmakers of the 16th Lok Sabha on the average utilised 79.3% of the funds released to them under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) during their five-year term from 2014 to 2019, said the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

"Of the Rs 452.50 crore cumulative funds released by the Central government for the 28 parliamentary constituencies, Rs 358.70 crore was spent, which is 79.3%," said the Ministry in a report.

As each member has entitled to Rs 25 crore for five years at the rate of Rs 5 crore per year, the cumulative entitlement for 28 of them was Rs 700 crore.

Cumulative funds, including the interest available with the respective districts, were Rs 465.40 crore, the cumulative amount recommended by the members for various works was Rs 500.83 crore and the cumulative amount sanctioned by the respective districts was Rs 438.31 crore.

"Of the Rs 465.40 crore cumulative funds with the 30 districts in the state, Rs 106.71 crore was the cumulative unspent amount," said the report.

Under the scheme, as the members role is limited to recommending the works, the respective district is responsible to sanction, execute and complete the works within the stipulated period.

Of the 28 MPs elected in May 2014, 17 belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 9 to the Congress and 2 to the JD(S).

BR Sreeramulu of the BJP emerged at the top by utilising 96.52 per cent (Rs 16.89 crore) of the funds (Rs 17.80 crore) released, with Rs 91 lakh as unspent amount in his Bellary constituency.

JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda utilised 95.49 per cent (Rs 11.94 crore) of the funds (Rs 12.69 crore), with Rs 76 lakh as unspent amount in his Hassan constituency.

Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D.V. Sadannda Gowda of the BJP utilised 86.08 per cent (Rs 17.22 crore) of the funds (Rs 20.30 crore), with Rs 3.08 crore as unspent amount in his Bangalore North seat.

Union Minister of State for Skill Development Ananth Kumar Hegde of the BJP utilised the least -- 62.73 per cent (Rs 7.84 crore) of the funds (Rs 12.76 crore) -- with Rs 4.92 crore as unspent amount in his Uttara Kannda constituency on the state's west coast region.

BJP members BS Yeddyurappa from Shimoga and BR Sreeramulu from Bellary (ST) and JD(S( member C Puttaraju from Mandya resigned on being elected to the state assembly in the May 12, 2018 elections.

As a result, bye-election was held in November 2018, in which the BJP lost the Bellary seat to V.S. Ugrappa of the Congress, while Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavandra won for the BJP to retain the Shimoga seat. JD(S) too retained the Mandya seat with its candidate LR Shivarame Gowda winning.

The scheme was formulated in December 1993 to enable elected members of Parliament to recommend development works in their constituencies with a view to creating durable assets based on locally felt needs.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been administering the scheme since October 1994.

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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