Prasanna Acharya appeals to Centre to restore MPLADS funds, supports bill for reduction in salaries, allowances of MPs, Ministers

The MPLADS funds should be restored so that the MPs can use it for fighting COVID-19 in their constituencies, said Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Prasanna Acharya in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The MPLADS funds should be restored so that the MPs can use it for fighting COVID-19 in their constituencies, said Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Prasanna Acharya in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. "I appeal to the government to restore the MPLADS funds. It is not like our salaries and allowances, it is used for the development in our constituencies. We will use it for fighting corona in our areas," Acharya said while discussions over the bill to reduce salary, allowances of MPs, Ministers by 30 percent were taking place in the Upper House.

He also claimed that he has still not received the last year's arrears of his share of MPLAD funds and urged the government to release it at the earliest. Earlier this year, the Union Cabinet had approved the temporary suspension of MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds of MPs for 2020-21 and 2021-22. These funds will be used to strengthen the Government's efforts in managing the challenges and adverse impact of COVID19 in the country.

The BJD MP from Odisha, however, said that he fully supported the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 moved by the government. Earlier, AIADMK MP A Vijayakumar had also demanded that the government release his arrears of the MPLADS funds for 2018-19, 2019-20.

The Monsoon session of the Parliament which began on Monday is slated to conclude on October 1. (ANI)