Will fulfill financial commitments under MPLAD Fund for FY 2019-20: Sitharaman

New Delhi, Mar 16 (FN Agency) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that the financial commitments made under the MP Local Area Development (PMLAD) funds for the financial year of 2019-20 will be fulfilled. Responding to question raised in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister said that she has received several representation on MPLAD funds that were stopped due to COVID-19.

“The commitments made for financial year 2019-20, the year before the pandemic occurred, will be fulfilled. For the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 no new commitments under MPLADS will be entertained”, Ms Sitharaman said. She also informed the House that money has been cleared from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementations (MoSPI) and Finance Ministry… “that money will be immediately spent at districts where commitments were made for the year 2019-20. Contact the district authorities for details,” she added. However, the Congress Member Anand Sharma said that Parliamentarians were not consulted while taking away MPLAD funds.