New Delhi: Members of Parliament seeking
social audit of all and sundry programmes are not willing for such a monitoring when it comes to the MPLAD Scheme, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said Thursday.
"Whenever there is criticism of MGNREGA in Parliament, I
say if the same social audit was there for MPLADS then it
would be good for the country. But they (MPs) are not ready
for social audit of MPLADS," Ramesh said at a function of civil society organisations on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
"The social audit has brought about transparency, and
even Anna Hazare agrees to it," he said after releasing a
report `MGNREGA opportunities, challenges and the road ahead`.
Under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development
Scheme (MPLADS), each MP can suggest to the district collector
for works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum to be taken up
in his/her constituency.
While the Rajya Sabha MP can recommend works in one or
more districts in the state from where he/she has been
elected, the Nominated Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya
Sabha can select any one or more districts from any one state
in the country for implementation of their choice of work
under the scheme.
Observing that in Parliament, every third question is on
MGNREGA, Ramesh said, "MPs want that all the works are
conducted with their consent....Their intention is different."
Downplaying the media reports on the scams related to the
MGNREGA and MPs` allegations that the muster rolls are bogus
and money is not spent properly, he said, the UPA government`s
programme "has given a new hope to people and self respect to
the poor downtrodden people".
PTI
