SC seeks UPA response on MPLAD scheme

 The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from the Centre on a PIL raising questions if the state government could bring about its own guidelines for implementation of Centrally-funded MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.

Each MP has a choice to suggest the district administration development works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum under the MPLAD scheme in his/her constituency in case of Lok Sabha legislator and in any district of choice, in case of a Rajya Sabha member.

A bench of Justices D K Jain and A R Dave also issued notice to Bihar government on the plea of Captain Jai Narayan Prasad Nishad, a JD (U) MP, contending that the new guidelines issued by the state government on November 10, last year, had led to “very poor” implementation of the Central government-funded scheme in Bihar.

“Since the scheme was covered under the Central list, only the Central government is empowered to frame rules for its implementation and state executive has no power under the rule of executive business to frame guidelines for the Central government scheme of the MPLAD,” the petition said.

The JD (U)-led Bihar government had made separate procedure for selection of plan, agency, procedure, allocation of fund, and method for implementation and approval of the scheme. The state government, on its part, had discontinued its MLA/MLC local area development scheme.