MISSING PLAQUES: Under the guidelines for MPLAD funds, it is necessary to erect a plaque mentioning the date of commencement and completion of work done, the project cost, and the name of the MP. In Pilhibit district, all of it under the eponymous Lok Sabha seat held by Bharatiya Janata Party’s Varun Gandhi now and by Maneka Gandhi earlier, a third-party audit sampled 56 projects. Audit reports accessed by The Indian Express show the team found 20 of the 56 projects with the plaques removed, and 21 having never installed one. The works included 17 by trusts and societies, of which 15 did not install plaques. In some cases, photographs were morphed to show supposed plaques and get funds.
EYE CAMP THAT WASN?T: Divyanand Spiritual Foundation was given MPLAD funds for organising eye surgery camps but ?there is no record available (of) the eye camps?. The audit says the foundation is ineligible for MPLAD funds as it is registered under the Companies Act, but it was also given Rs 2.5 lakh to build an operation theatre in Pilhibit. And an identical amount was given for a ?commercial activity?, the construction of advocates? cabins in Bisalpur.
INCOMPLETE: In 2012-13, an inspection team found that two projects sanctioned in 2005-06 (to Guru Harkishanpur Public School, Firsa Churra, and Sanjay Gandhi Girls High School, Tumadia) were still incomplete after five years.
CERTIFICATES: Of the 56 works, utilisation certificates were missing for 13. Also, ?work completion certificates in as many as 13 works have not been found?.
SC/ST: ?The district authority is yet to initiate steps for implementing innovative provisions (for SCs/STs) in the guidelines. The district authority is not maintaining separate data for SCs/STs.?
– By Shyamlal Yadav
