Guwahati: Majority of the BJP MPs from Assam have failed to fully utilize their Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) schemes since 2020, a senior Congress leader alleged here on Friday.
Based on an RTI report, the chairman of the Research Division, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Netraranjan Choudhury said the district authorities, which are the nodal agencies for implementing the MPLAD, have failed to maintain proper accounts of MPLAD fund and monitor the schemes that have been implemented.
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The RTI report, which was received from an audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CSAG) speaks the real state of affairs of the MPLAD schemes in the state.
“The implementing agencies of the schemes could not submit utilization certificates due to which the CAG could not go for a final audit of the expenditure incurred by these agencies since 2020. The CSAG has asked the district authorities for a utilization certificate, the response of which is yet to be received,” Choudhury said quoting the RTI report.
According to www.mplads.gov.in, of Rs 117.50 crore funds allocated to 14 Lok Sabha MPs of Assam Rs 101.67 crore has been spent.
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Of 5,190 schemes recommended by the MPs, only 3596 were utilized till April 12, 2024.
Of an estimated Rs 25 crore, Rs 7.50 crore was released to Dibrugarh, of which Rs 2.05 crore was spent by the district authority of Dibrugarh. Of 388 recommended schemes, none have been completed.
Rajya Sabha members Bhubaneswar Kalita, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Pabitra Margherita and Rwngwra Narzary failed to utilise funds allotted to them by the Central government.
As per the guidelines of the scheme, the district authority sanctions the works as per the recommendation of the MP.
The implementation of MPLAD in the Karimganj constituency is also not satisfactory. The Karimganj District Development Commissioner (DDC) stated that the matter of deduction of labour cess, GST, forest royalty etc has not been ensured at the time of the release of the fund and the same would be verified at the time of submission of the certificate, handing over certificate MB & MR etc.
But in actual practice, after the second and final instalment, neither follow-up action was found on record nor available to audit. The DDC also accepted that in most of the schemes, the completion report, handing and taking over certificate report etc., were not been submitted by the CCs.
At the time of the release of the second instalment, the basic utilization records were not taken into account and based on requisition for the balanced fund as well as the utilization certificate of the first instalment submitted by the CCs signed/countersigned by the president who is a responsible officer in the rank of executive magistrate and after conducting physical verification thereof.
But in the record, in the majority of the UCs and completion certificate (only against the first instalment) the concerned Member secretary cum technical members of the CCs used to put a signature of his own without obtaining the signature of the presidents of CCs.
The construction committees did not submit Utilization records against funds released thereof against material components utilized as well as labour components involved therein (in the form of muster rolls) in the absence of which audit could not vouchsafe the transaction.
The reasons for the non-submission of utilization records against completed and partially completed schemes may also be stated.
The physical and financial progress report of MPLAD schemes for 2017-18 to 2019-20 under Sonitpur DC revealed that 32 schemes were recommended by the MP for execution. The first instalment Rs 59.44 lakh was released by the district authority to construction committees (CCs)/ implementing agency(IA) for the implementation of the scheme. However, the schemes are yet to be completed as of January 2022 even after a lapse of 1-3 years since the receipt of the first instalment of funds by the IA.
The CCs failed to submit UCs in support of utilization of the fund and due to the final instalment amounting to Rs 51.36 lakh was not released. It was also observed that no step was evident to be taken by the Sonitpur DC to expedite the process of completion of the project as stipulated in the guidelines nor any action was taken against the implementing agencies for delay as per the guidelines.
The fund released amounting to Rs 59.44 lakh for the execution of schemes under MPLADS remained unfruitful/unproductive.
As per the MPLAD guideline-2016, some works are prohibited under MPLADS such as all renovation and repair works, works within the places of religious worship and on land belonging to or owned by religious faith/group. The scrutiny showed that 12 works belonged to the inadmissible category under MPLADS amounting to Rs 61.5 lakh which were sanctioned and accordingly constructed.
As per MPLAD guidelines as well as sanction letters, the implementing agencies should submit utilisation after completion of the scheme within three months.
It was revealed for the 2018-19 fiscal, Kamrup Metro DC could UC for Rs 173.75 lakh only after 36 months, Kamrup (rural) DC for Rs 5 lakh only after 36 months, Barpeta DC gave UC Rs 20 lakh only after 36 months and Nalbari DC could utilization certificate for Rs 10 lakh within 28 months.
Similarly, in 2018-19 (phase II), Kamrup Metro DC gave a utilization certificate of Rs 198 lakh in 25 months, Barpeta DC Rs 10 lakh within 28 months, and Nalbari DC gave a utilisation certificate within 28 months.
In 2019-20 (phase I), Kamrup DC gave a utilization certificate for Rs 198 lakh within 25 months, Darrang DC for Rs 20 lakh in 28 months, and Tinsukia DC gave a utilization certificate for Rs 5 lakh within 24 months.
Due to non-utilization and parking of funds, the schemes were frustrated thereby denying the benefit of the scheme to the beneficiaries.
In Cachar district, it was revealed that there was an excess expenditure of Rs 8.02 Iakh in connection with the works of the post-operative block at Siva Sundari Nari Shiksha Ashram and Community Hart at Nimbark Ashram at ward no 12, Silchar.
In Karbi Anglong district, due to non-utilization and parking of funds, the objectives of the schemes were not fulfilled thereby denying the benefit of the scheme to the beneficiaries.
An unutilized amount of schematic funds was lying under different banks, which resulted in a blockade of government money to the tune of Rs 2464.77 lakh (including interest).
It indicated that the implementing agencies have not adhered to the guidelines of the provisions that the works are to be completed within one financial year. Further, it was also observed that while according to Administrative Approval, conditions that the works to be completed by them within one financial year as stipulated in the guidelines have been incorporated there are no records to show the steps taken by the implementing agencies for completion of works after the lapse of stipulated period. This implied that there was a lack of control system from the district authority on the implementing agencies which in turn led to non-completion of some of the works even after lapse of a considerable period.
In the Darrang district also, the DC could not utilize Rs 3.62 crore against the schemes from October 1, 2019, to August 31, 2022, which resulted in a blockade of further funds.
It is also revealed that the interest accrued due to non-utilised funds in the bank was Rs 59.6 lakh (MPLADS Rs 21.88 lakh, MLALADs Rs 37.73 lakh) as of August 2022. The entire interest of Rs 59.61 lakh remained unutilised till date.
Similarly, the audit revealed a huge amount of unutilized funds being deposited in the bank accounts in Kamrup Metro, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts.