16 of 17 Telangana seats report 90% utlilization

Hyderabad, March 26 (IANS) The utilisation of MPLADS funds in 16 out of 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana has been over 90 per cent.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi is among those who spent more than the amount released under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme. The government released Rs 15 crore out of the entitlement for Rs 25 crore, one of the highest percent of utilisation over release (128.82 percent).

The amount available with interest was Rs 19.83 crore. Owaisi, who is president of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), recommended various MPLADS works at a cost of Rs 29.18 crore. The amount sanctioned was Rs 28.40 crore while the expenditure incurred was Rs 19.60 crore.

"In the last five years, Rs 4.71 crore of my MPLADS funds was spent on education infrastructure in my constituency. A substantial portion went towards women's degree and junior colleges," Owaisi said.

In the old city of Hyderabad, where drinking water is a major problem, the MP spent the funds on setting up 21 Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants. People get 20 litres of water for Rs 3 from these plants.

In Andhra Pradesh, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju from Vizianagaram had 98.93 per cent utilisation over the funds released. The government released the entire entitlement of Rs 25 crore. Raju, who belongs to Telugu Desam Party (TDP), recommended works to the tune of Rs 26.93 crore while works worth Rs 25.99 crore were sanctioned. The expenditure incurred was Rs 24.73 crore.

Raju said he spent 12.53 crore to provide benches, sports and technology infrastructure in government-run schools, Rs 6.63 crore for LED bulbs, Rs 2.47 crore on RO plants and Rs 2.83 crore on solar power plants.

Barring Raju and a couple of other MPs, most the 25 MPs in Andhra lag in utilisation of MPLADS funds.