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Journalism of Courage
A change in the guidelines for use of funds under MPLADS – the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme – seems to water down the requirement to set aside a certain section for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe areas.
The newly issued guidelines are to be effective from April 1, and mark the first comprehensive review of the scheme since 2016.
The 2016 guidelines said, “There is a greater need to develop areas inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in order to give special attention for infrastructure development of such areas. MPs are to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and 7.5 per cent for areas inhabited by ST population.”
This meant that of the Rs 25 crore of works an MP could recommend for spending in his constituency over five years, at least Rs 3.75 crore had to be spent in SC areas and Rs 1.87 crore in ST-dominated regions.
As per the new guidelines: “In order to give due attention to the development of infrastructure in the areas predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, it shall be advisable for Members of Parliament to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the total MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and at least 7.5 per cent of the total MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Tribe population.”
Pointing out the change, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas said: “While it was mandatory for all MPs to allocate 15 per cent and 7.5 per cent of the annual Rs 5 crore under MPLADS for various development activities in SC/ST regions respectively, this obligatory condition has been tacitly converted to a mere ‘advisory’ clause… It has serious implications for development works in SCs and ST areas.”
MPLADS funds have been instrumental in development of areas populated by the marginalised sections through works like drinking water facilities, construction of roads, toilets for schools, Brittas said, adding that the change could alter the inclusive and egalitarian nature of the funds. “It’s a regressive and insensitive provision that will thwart the very purpose of MPLADS,” he said.
BJP leaders, including those belonging to the party’s SC Morcha, refused to comment on the change.
The BJP has been wooing SCs and STs and has built a reliable support base among them since 2014. Addressing party workers after the Tripura and Nagaland elections recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had underlined the faith shown by tribals in the BJP, despite the rhetoric against the party of being anti-Christian.
Next up are the Karnataka Assembly elections, where SCs constitute almost 20 per cent of the total population.
