Suspension of MP funds Modi's long-pending agenda? Opposition smells a political ploy

The Narendra Modi government's decision to suspend the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds for two years has drawn sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers, who termed the move 'arbitrary and undemocratic'.

While Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the Centre's decision to suspend MPLADS was 'illogical and amounted to an anti-federal move', some MPs from the state went to the extent of calling the move another step towards 'an autocratic rule'.

On Monday, the union cabinet gave its nod to the government's decision to suspend the MPLADS scheme for two years. Rs 10 crore from each MPLAD fund will now go to the Consolidated Fund and the decision has been taken in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Opposition parties, including Congress and left parties, slammed the move and said it would undermine the role of MPs, who would lose an instrument to manage distress at the micro-level.

While senior Congress MP from Kerala Anto Antony said the Centre has clipped the wings of parliamentarians with the decision, Kollam MP N K Premachandran expressed concerns over the move affecting the equitable distribution of development funds across the country.

Long-pending agenda?

CPM's lone Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, A M Ariff alleged that doing away with the MPLADS was part of a long-pending agenda of the Modi government.

“With the MPLADS being taken away from parliamentarians, the government can directly decide where to spend the funds. We are not sure in which state the money is going to be spent,” Ariff said. 

He revealed that a BJP leader from Kerala had hinted at the Modi government's plan to scrap the MPLADS a few months ago.

“Now the BJP government is using the COVID situation as an excuse to implement its agenda,” he said. 

'Mockery of democracy'

Anto Antony said PM Modi, in his first term, was stubborn against hiking the funds despite the recommendations of a Parliamentary panel led by AIADMK's Thambidurai.

“The decision to suspend the funds has been taken without consulting neither MPs nor floor leaders. There's no clarity as to how the MPs can carry on with the ongoing projects in their constituencies. Now, MPs will have to remain mute spectators to the development activities in their constituencies. This is a mockery of democracy,” the three-time Pathanamthitta MP said.

Premachandran said the decision was akin to dissolving the Parliament at the will of the ruling party.

“By taking such a decision, the government has undermined the supremacy of the Parliament. It will have huge political ramifications. It's like saying 'we will decide, you have to obey'.”

“The prime minister has scheduled a meeting with leaders of other parties on Wednesday. Why didn't he wait till the meeting to announce such an important decision?” he asked.

Premachandran and Ariff said the Centre should have sought funds from corporates whom the government has been helping to acquire huge profits with its policy decisions.

All the MPs Onmanorama spoke to suggested that the government could have directed them to use entire funds for the two years for COVID related projects instead of suspending it.

'No political motive'

BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra, Alphons Kannanthanam, rubbished the allegations saying there was no need to find a political motive behind the move.

“At the moment, our only concern is to fight COVID-19. We need to mobilise huge funds for that. Everything else can wait,” he said.

The national leadership of the Congress and CPM had criticised the Centre's move soon after it was announced.

"If this money (MPLADS fund) is finished, then this will have a negative impact on the people of the MP's area and people of the country will lose out. If the country's MPs lose their voice, then how will the Parliament function effectively. Hence, this needs to be restored," Congress chief spokesperson  Randeep Surjewala said.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said by taking away MPLADS fund, the government is taking away the expenditure that could take care of the needs of the area and this centralisation goes against federalism.

"Transfer of money to the Consolidated Fund of India, instead of being directed towards fighting COVID-19, shows that it is a measure to deal with the economic destruction caused in the last six years. There is enough evidence that COVID-19 is best fought at the state and local level," Yechury said.

'Knee-jerk reaction'

Congress leaders Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor urged the prime minister to reconsider the decision. Tewari said this seems to be a knee-jerk reaction.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a letter to PM expressed his concern over the move.

"As I am sure you will agree, by design, the MPLADS has traditionally been utilised to address and remedy gaps in our governance initiatives that may have been overlooked by the state and the central government in their announcements of major development projects," Tharoor said.

"By removing the resources at their (MPs) disposal to make critical interventions and bringing them under the ambit of the Consolidated Fund of India, it would centralise the allocation of funds, in turn, potentially leading to significant delays in the devolution of funds. MPLADS preserved the sense of direct responsibility for the well-being of constituents that is a hallmark of an Indian MP's work," he said.

Senior Trinamool Congress leader and MP Sougata Roy said the government decision was arbitrary and whimsical as it has enough money to tackle COVID-19.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader and Lok Sabha MP Thol. Thirumavalavan has also opposed the Centre’s decision.

Govt eyes Rs 7,900 crore

The decision to suspend MPLADS will help the government garner around Rs 7,900 crore.

The MPLADS was formulated in December 1993 and enables the MPs to recommend developmental work in their constituencies.

Under the scheme, each MP has the choice to suggest to the district collector developmental works of Rs 5 crore per year in her constituency.

Initially, this scheme was administered by the Ministry of Rural Development but in October 1994 the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation started monitoring it.

The scheme started with an allocation of Rs 5 lakh in 1993-94 but the amount was increased to Rs 2 crore annually in 1998-99 and to Rs 5 crore annually since 2011-12.

There are 543 MPs in Lok Sabha and 245 MPs in Rajya Sabha.