On February 16, during Aaj Tak’s Punjab Panchayat program, Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann claimed he got Rs 25 crores under Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) but had given an account of Rs 26.6 crores during 2014-2019. He said the additional 1.01 crore was the interest paid by the bank, and the remaining amount was carried forward from the previous MP.
He was replying to allegations made by CM Charanjit Singh Channi during a rally where he had questioned what Bhagwant Mann has done for his constituency. He said, “I got 25 crores under MPLADS fund between 2014 and 2019. I gave accounts of Rs 26.61 crores.” Explaining how he got additional funds, Mann said, “When there are elections of any kind, due to Election Commissions code of conduct, I could not use MPLAD funds. During that period bank keeps adding interest to the amount. Rs 1.01 crore was the interest amount that I got in five years. Rs 60 lakh was carried forward from the previous MP. I said if Rs 25 crores belong to the public, its interest belongs to the public as well.”
Bhagwant Mann’s record as MP between 2014-2019
According to the data available at MPLADS’s website, Rs 25 crore were released to Bhagwant Mann during 2014-2019 in 10 instalments of Rs 2.5 crores each.
A total of Rs 25.84 crores were available, including interest for that period. As MP, Mann sanctioned Rs 24.87 crores for the projects in his constituency, out of which Rs 24.53 crores (96.11%) were utilized in the projects. By the time his tenure in the 16th Lok Sabha was completed, he had Rs 1.31 crores unutilized.
Further, the dashboard data shows he had recommended 2,103 works, out of which 1,759 were completed. He had spent the maximum on infrastructure (73.67%) and least on agriculture-related works 0.64%).
The claim over the interest on MPLADS
While the claims made by MP Bhagwant Mann about the funds received and accounted for are close to what government data shows with little difference in the total amount, he tried to imply that he was the only MP who gave accounts for the interest and carry forward amount from the previous MP.
The reality is, as per the law, whatever amount the previous MP was unable to utilize will be carried forward to the successor MP. Also, interest on the amount is accumulated and accounted for all the MPs, and Bhagwant Mann has not done anything out of the ordinary.
As a matter of fact, only six MPs out of 15 MPs from Punjab had spent a lesser amount compared to Mann. Three MPs, Sunil Kumar Jakhar (INC) at 119.23%, Vijay Sampla (BJP) at 100.23% and Sher Singh Ghubaya (INC) at 100.33%, had spent more than the initially sanctioned amount.
As per the law, MPs can ask for additional funds if required. The interest and carry forward amount is adjusted in the ‘amount available with interest’ for every MP.
