india

Updated: Mar 27, 2019 00:09 IST

Parliamentarians can now buy laptops for government- run and aided educational institutions in their constituencies with an amendment to the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) guidelines on February 25, two officials aware of the development said.

Purchase of only desktop computers was earlier allowed as part of the scheme under which members of Parliament (MPs) get ~5 crore annually for development works in their constituencies. The MPs have to get the works done through district authorities like collectors, magistrates and deputy commissioners.

“In view of an increasing emphasis on the use of laptops in promoting digital education, it has been decided to include them as eligible items for government and government-aided educational institutions under MPLADS,” one of the officials said on condition of anonymity.

The permission for the purchase of laptops is conditional. A district authority can sanction such purchases only after a beneficiary institution provides exclusive space for the use of the laptops and gives an undertaking that they would be solely used for the purpose of imparting education, the official said.

It would be the responsibility of the authority to inspect and ensure that laptops are not misused by individuals for private purposes, the official added.

A circular to this effect has been issued to all district authorities, relevant departments of the Centre, states and Union territories and MPs, the official said.

A minister at the Centre, who did not wish to be identified, said, “The decision is in line with the technological advancements taking place. Laptops are preferred over desktops for several considerations, including power efficiency, ease of maintenance, and convenience in terms of space.”

The government is also considering making the MPLADS more inclusive based on suggestions from MPs.

The suggestions include utilisation of the funds for treatment of cancer, cardiac illnesses and organ implants. It has also been suggested that the funds be allowed to conduct mass wedding ceremonies and that ~5 crore be disbursed to MPs in one single instalment.

“The suggestions are under examination,” the second official said.

Constituencies of the members of Parliament’s lower houses — the Lok Sabha — are defined and in case of those of the upper House — the Rajya Sabha — MPs can recommend development works in one or more districts of the states from where they have been elected.

Nominated members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can select one or more districts from a state for implementation of their choice of works under the MPLADS.

The scheme was launched in 1993 with ~5 lakh per member annually. The amount was raised to ~1 crore in 1994-95 and to ~2 crore from 1998-99 and ~5 crore from 2011-12.

The Union rural development ministry initially administered the scheme. The first guidelines related to the scheme were issued in February 1994. Later, in October 1994, the scheme was transferred to the Union statistics and programme implementation ministry. The guidelines were subsequently revised in December 1994, February 1997, September 1999, April 2002, November 2005, August 2012, May 2014 and June 2016.