Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme? 1. The Ministry of Rural Development has been responsible for the policy formulation, release of funds, and prescribing monitoring mechanism for implementation of the Scheme. 2. The annual entitlement of Rs 5 crore shall be released, in two equal installments of Rs 2.5 crore each, by the Government of India directly to the District Authority of the Nodal District of the Member of Parliament concerned.
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme : ( Asked in UPSC Prelims 2020 ) The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme which was launched in 1993-94. The Scheme enables the Members of Parliament to recommend works for the creation of durable community assets based on locally felt needs to betaken up in their constituencies in the area of national priorities namely drinking water, education, public health, sanitation, roads etc. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been responsible for the policy formulation, release of funds and prescribing monitoring mechanism for implementation of the Scheme. Hence, Statement 1 is not correct . Features : The MPLADS is a Plan Scheme fully funded by Government of India . The annual MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is Rs. 5 crores . MPs are to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and 7.5 per cent for areas inhabited by ST population . In order to encourage trusts and societies for the betterment of tribal people, a ceiling of Rs. 75 lakh is stipulated for building assets by trusts and societies subject to conditions prescribed in the scheme guidelines. Lok Sabha Members can recommend works within their Constituencies and Elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works within the State of Election (with select exceptions) . Nominated Members of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country . All works to meet locally felt infrastructure and development needs, with an emphasis on the creation of durable assets in the constituency are permissible under MPLADS as prescribed in the scheme guidelines. Expenditure on specified items of non-durable nature is also permitted as listed in the guidelines. Implementation : A Member of Parliament shall give his/ her choice of Nodal District in a prescribed format to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with a copy to the State Government and to the District Magistrate of the chosen District. The annual entitlement of Rs 5 crore shall be released, in two equal instalments of Rs 2.5 crore each, by Government of India directly to the District Authority of the Nodal District of the Member of Parliament concerned . Hence, Statement 2 is correct . Each MP shall recommend eligible work on the MP’s letterhead duly signed by the MP to the district authority. The District Authority shall identify the Implementing Agency capable of executing the eligible work qualitatively, timely and satisfactorily . One MP - One Idea : In order to foster a grass-root bottoms-up approach to innovation and development and to arrive at solutions for local problems, which are sustainable and scalable, there is a need for seeking out and campaigning for ideas that have the potential to solve challenges. Accordingly, based on the innovative ideas received from the local people regarding developmental projects, a ‘One MP – One Idea’ Competition may be held in each Lok Sabha constituency annually to select the three best innovations for cash awards and certificate of appreciation for next five best innovations.