47 percent of MP funds go to community halls

BANGALORE: Hassan Lok Sabha member H D Deve Gowda scored 100 per cent while Chikmagalur LS member Srikantappa a mere 14.1 per cent in utilisation of the MPLAD fund allocated by the Centre for local area development from 2004-09. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who was the MP of Udupi-Chikmagalur LS constituency, spent 41 per cent of thge funds. However, he had allotted 83.4 per cent of funds during 2009-11.Non-profit organisation Public Affairs Centre (PAC), which studied the MPLAD spending by 26 Lok Sabha members and 13 Rajya Sabha members, made the revelation here on Thursday.Two LS members failed to furnish details of spending though it is made mandatory. PAC members Dr Samuel Paul, Patibandla Srikant and A Venugopal Reddy said MPs were supposed to spend the annual allocation of Rs 5 crore (Rs 2 crore till 2011) on projects of national priority such as roads, water and public health in their constituencies.However, most MPs allotted a major chunk of MPLAD funds (47 per cent) for the construction of community halls. Deve Gowda has allotted 95.6 per cent of his funds for construction of community halls.The report indicates that the 60 per cent of the RS members from Karnataka have utilised less than 25 per cent of funds in 2004-09.Educational qualification of MPs is not a constraint to MPLADS spending. This can be gleaned from the fact that while MP Mallikarjunappa, a matriculate, utilised the entire allotted funds, Tejasvini Gowda, a PhD holder, has spent only 26.5 per cent of the funds.MP Srikantappa D C ranks last in funds utilistion among Karnataka LS MPs.Nearly Rs 8,000 crore was allocated for MPLADS (all India) for 2004-09, of which Rs 400 crore was Karnataka’s share. Overall 57 per cent of the funds were allotted by the LS MPs in the state.However, Karnataka RS members, with 57 per cent utilisation, fare better than the national average of 50 per cent.Deve Gowda utilised only 53.5 per cent during 2009-11. Rajya Sabha members Vijay Mallaya and M Venkaiah Naidu have used only 8.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively during 2009-11.However, Karnataka MPs’ total utilisation of 57 per cent of funds was better than the national average of 50 per cent. But, the Lok Sabha members have slipped from the 14th position (57 per cent utilisation of funds) to the 15th (47 per cent) position.The report did not take into account six  members of Parliament during 2009-11 as they have not submitted their reports, though it is mandatory.