Cooch Behar: Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds must be utilised promptly for ongoing and pending development projects, Cooch Behar Lok Sabha MP Jagdish Chandra Barma Basunia said after a meeting with the District Magistrate on Monday.
According to administrative sources, a total of Rs 10.9 crore was allocated to the Cooch Behar constituency under the MPLAD scheme. However, only about Rs 4.5 crore has been spent so far, leaving a substantial portion of the funds unutilised. The MP reportedly sought clarity on the delay and urged the district administration to expedite the tendering and implementation process.
Current projects funded through the MPLAD scheme include construction work such as boundary walls and installation of CCTV cameras at the District Magistrate’s office. With Assembly elections approaching, the MP stressed the importance of ensuring that the remaining funds are deployed efficiently for developmental work across the constituency.
Speaking to reporters, MP Jagdish Chandra Barma Basunia said: “Some work at the District Magistrate’s office is progressing with these funds. I have inspected part of the work, but a significant portion of the sanctioned amount is still pending.”
He further claimed that nearly Rs 10 crore had been sanctioned “long ago”, but the previous District Magistrate allegedly failed to initiate tenders in time.
“The paperwork has been lying in the DM’s office for months. It is the responsibility of the administration to float tenders and move the process forward. Out of all, only Rs 4.5 crore worth of work has been executed. The rest must be completed soon,” he said, adding that Monday’s meeting focused primarily on these pending issues.