Union Cabinet gives nod to restoring MPLADS after COVID-induced suspension, announces Anurag Thakur

Among a slew of decisions taken on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved restoration and continuation of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which was suspended in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

देखें लाइव: प्रधानमंत्री की अध्यक्षता में हुई केंद्रीय मंत्रिमंडल की बैठक में लिए गए निर्णयों पर केंद्रीय मंत्री श्री @ianuragthakur की प्रेस वार्ता #CabinetDecisions
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— Office of Mr. Anurag Thakur (@Anurag_Office) November 10, 2021

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the scheme has been restored for the remaining part of the financial year 2021-2022 and will continue till 2025-2026. The total financial implication for restoration and continuation of the MPLADS till 2025-26 will be Rs 17417 crore. Thakur said funds will be released at the rate of Rs 2 crore per MP for the remaining period of 2021-22 in one instalment. From 2022-23 to 2025-26, funds will be released under the scheme at the rate of Rs 5 crore per annum to each of the MPs in two instalments of Rs 2.5 crore each, Thakur added. The press release stated, “As the country is now on the road to economic recovery and the Scheme continues to be beneficial for the creation of durable community assets, in fulfilling the aspirations of locally felt needs of the community, in skill development and creation of jobs across the country, thereby helpful in achieving the objective of Atamnirbhar Bharat. Accordingly, the Union Cabinet has now decided to restore Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) during the remaining part of Financial Year 2021-22 and to continue MPLADS up to 2025-26, co-terminus with the period of 15th Finance Commission.” Implementation Strategy and Targets:

• The MPLAD Scheme is governed by a set of guidelines, which are revised from time to time.
• The process under MPLADS starts with the Members of Parliament recommending works to the Nodal District Authority.
• The Nodal District concerned is responsible for implementing the eligible works recommended by the Members of Parliament and maintaining the details of individual works executed and the amount spent under the scheme

Impact:

• The restoration and continuation of MPLADS will restart the community developmental projects/works in the field which are halted/stopped due to lack of funds under MPLADS.
• It will restart fulfilling the aspirations and developmental requirements of the local community and the creation of durable assets, which is the primary objective of the MPLADS.
• It will also help in reviving the local economy.

In April last year, the government had suspended MPLADS during 2020-21 and 2021-22 and said that the funds would be used for managing health services and the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The objective of the scheme is to enable MPs to recommend works of developmental nature with emphasis on the creation of durable community assets in the areas of drinking water, primary education, public health, sanitation, roads, etc primarily in their constituencies.