CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Tuesday condemned the Centre's decision to suspend the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for two years in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak.
In a statement, Stalin said the decision was nothing but taking back the MPs’ power to spend in their constituencies. He wanted the Centre to withdraw the decision.
After a Union cabinet meeting on Monday, it was announced that all MPs’ salaries would be cut by 30% and money for MPLADs would be stopped for 2020-21 and 2021-22.
“While the Centre and state governments have schemes for the entire country or for the state and some constituencies or regions may not benefit from that. An MP knows what is needed in his constituency. Based on this, the money from MPLADs is spent,” said Stalin.
He said by stopping the scheme, the MPs would not be able to fulfil the demands made by people in their constituencies. “Instead of allocating more money and asking MPs to spend more towards medical section, completely stopping the scheme is like putting the MPs in a crisis. The Centre must withdraw its decision and provide funds under the scheme for MPs,’’ said Stalin.
The DMK leader criticised the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government for not taking proper steps against novel coronavirus infection in January and February. “Only in March second week did the governments start taking steps but by then the virus had started spreading.”
“The Centre has allocated only Rs 510 crore to Tamil Nadu, which is now second after Maharashtra in having the maximum number of positive cases,” said Stalin.
He said though Tamil Nadu had sought Rs 9,000 crore and later Rs 3200 crore more, the Centre released only Rs 510 crore. “But states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and others have received more funds from the Centre. Is it because those states have BJP governments that the Centre has released more funds to them? I am only asking why little money has been allocated to Tamil Nadu,” said Stalin.
In a statement, Stalin said the decision was nothing but taking back the MPs’ power to spend in their constituencies. He wanted the Centre to withdraw the decision.
After a Union cabinet meeting on Monday, it was announced that all MPs’ salaries would be cut by 30% and money for MPLADs would be stopped for 2020-21 and 2021-22.
“While the Centre and state governments have schemes for the entire country or for the state and some constituencies or regions may not benefit from that. An MP knows what is needed in his constituency. Based on this, the money from MPLADs is spent,” said Stalin.
He said by stopping the scheme, the MPs would not be able to fulfil the demands made by people in their constituencies. “Instead of allocating more money and asking MPs to spend more towards medical section, completely stopping the scheme is like putting the MPs in a crisis. The Centre must withdraw its decision and provide funds under the scheme for MPs,’’ said Stalin.
The DMK leader criticised the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government for not taking proper steps against novel coronavirus infection in January and February. “Only in March second week did the governments start taking steps but by then the virus had started spreading.”
“The Centre has allocated only Rs 510 crore to Tamil Nadu, which is now second after Maharashtra in having the maximum number of positive cases,” said Stalin.
He said though Tamil Nadu had sought Rs 9,000 crore and later Rs 3200 crore more, the Centre released only Rs 510 crore. “But states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and others have received more funds from the Centre. Is it because those states have BJP governments that the Centre has released more funds to them? I am only asking why little money has been allocated to Tamil Nadu,” said Stalin.
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