Over Rs 14 crore MPLADS funds provided to Jajpur by 11 Rajya Sabha members during 2019-24!

In a stunning revelation, it has been learnt that Jajpur district received a whopping Rs 14, 82, 50,000 granted by 11 Rajya Sabha members of Odisha from their Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) during 2019-2024.

The matter has come to the fore after BJD MP Mamata Mohanta resigned from Rajya Sabha. Following the development, apprehensions have been raised on how the former ruling party was using MPLADS funds and how it was allegedly gifted to appease BJD’s organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, who is the former MLA of Jajpur.

Moreover, a question has been raised on why the lion’s share of MPLADS was provided to Jajpur while the border and underdeveloped parts of the State are languishing with several problems. Was it due to the pressure or obedience? 

Earlier, former Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta clarified that the main reason behind the conflict between her and Pranab Prakash Das was over MPLADS funds.

As per reports, as many as 11 Rajya Sabha members have provided Rs 14, 82, 50,000 to Jajpur district in 141 projects during the last five years.

While N Bhaskar Rao has provided MPLADS fund of Rs 33 lakh, Amar Patnaik has provided Rs 45 lakh to Jajpur. Sasmit Patra has provided Rs 5.25 crore to the district. Similarly, Mamata Mohanta provided Rs 1 crore. While Narendra Swain has provided Rs 28 lakh, Prasanna Acharya has provided Rs 50 lakh. Similarly, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj has provided Rs 30 lakh and Muzibulla Khan has provided Rs 39 lakh. Sujit Kumar has provided Rs 31 lakh and Sulata Deo has provided Rs 5.99 crore. Similarly, Subash Singh has provided Rs 35 lakh.

“The Rajya Sabha MPs send us the projects and we give it to the blocks through the Collectors. While maximum funds have come to Jajpur, other blocks have also received some funds,” said Nirmala Behera, Deputy Director of District Planning Board Jajpur.

However, no reaction was received from Pranab Prakash Das in this regard.

“So much of MPLADS should not have been given to Jajpur district at the cost of development of other areas in the State. Pranab Prakash Das was a power centre in BJD. Whether the Rajya Sabha members have given so much of funds under pressure or obedience is a matter of investigation. Das played a great role in selecting the Rajya Sabha members. Hence, they might have provided the funds to Jajpur district to satisfy him. There are specific guidelines for spending MPLADS funds by Rajya Sabha members. However, during the tenure of the previous government, it was decided by some specific officers in Naveen Niwas,” said senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty.