The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has revealed that approximately 48% of the total ₹442 crore, allocated as Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds in Gujarat between 2019 and 2024, remained unutilised.
The MPLAD Scheme, initiated in December 1993, was frozen for 1.5 years due to the Covid pandemic. Consequently, each MP was entitled to spend ₹17 crore instead of ₹25 crore in their respective constituencies, bringing the total entitled amount to ₹442 crore for the 26 MPs in Gujarat, all of whom belong to the BJP.
However, the 26 MPs collectively recommended works worth ₹354 crore, of which ₹269 crore worth of works were sanctioned and ₹220 crore funds were released by the Government of India. This allocated amount represents just 49.77% of the total entitled amount of the MPs. The responsibility of recommending works within their constituency lies with the MP and if MPs do not recommend work, the government will not allocate more funds.
Despite the release of ₹220 crore, the MPs failed to spend ₹31 crore, which is about 13.5% of the funds released by the government. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s constituency of Gandhinagar had the highest unspent balance of ₹3.54 crore, followed by Vinod Chavda of Kutch (₹2.35 crore), Devusinh Chauhan of Kheda (₹2.35 crore), Poonamben Madam of Jamnagar (₹2.19 crore) and Bharattsinji Dabhi of Patan (₹2.01 crore).
Pankti Jog, the state coordinator for Gujarat, stated, “Each MP could have easily used ₹17 crore during these five years. However, they have spent less than this amount.” Of the total sanctioned works in Gujarat, the highest expenditure – ₹114.81 crore – has been on railways, roads, pathways and bridges, followed by ₹71.32 crore on other public facilities.
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