New Delhi: Increasing scope of MPLAD scheme, government has allowed Members of Parliament to grant funds under the programme to purchase furniture for schools and create infrastructure for cooperative societies.
Earlier, MPs were allowed to recommend purchase of furniture for new school buildings and registered trusts and societies under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development scheme.
“A number of references have been received from time to time seeking supply of furniture to schools under MPLADS. The requirement of furniture for schools is very genuine felt-need in the field...
“It has, therefore, been decided that furniture may be allowed under MPLADS upto the level of secondary schools, with certain conditions/safeguards,” a Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation statement said.
According to the amended guideline of the scheme, an MP can recommend for purchase of movable items such as furniture, equipment, etc, for primary and secondary schools belonging to Central/State/ UT governments and local bodies and government- aided schools.
MP can recommend purchase of furniture up to Rs 50 lakh in a year from MPLADS funds for schools and one particular school will be eligible to maximum of Rs 10 lakh in its life-time.
Meanwhile, amending another guideline of scheme, government has allowed MPs to recommend for infrastructure and public utility building works of cooperative societies.
Under the new guideline, the beneficiary cooperative societies should be in existence for the preceding three years and, in the opinion of the district authority, based on an objective assessment of performance and records, etc, should be well-reputed and dedicated to community/public good.
According, the upper ceilings for assistance to trusts/ societies (Rs 50 lakh to one particular trust/society in its lifetime and Rs 1 crore to all trusts/societies by one MP in one year) will be applicable for cooperative societies also.
