MPs allocate funds, but fail to lobby for state’s interests : The Tribune India

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MPs report card–I

MPs allocate funds, but fail to lobby for state’s interests

As the Modi government completes one year, The Tribune analyses how successful the state MPs have been in representing people and highlighting problems concerning their constituencies



Amritsar

Amarinder Singh (cong)

Questions asked: 13

Mplad funds utilised: Rs 5 crore

Attendance: 35%

Initiatives taken
  • Equitable distribution of MPLAD funds in all nine Assembly segments
  • Adopted Dhaul Kalan village 
  • Facilitated construction of roads and sewerage
  • Funds for drains in rural areas
  • Facilitated setting up of toilets in villages and in localities inhabited by urban poor

Unkept promises

  • De-addiction centre not set up
  • Amritsar railway station not upgraded
  • International airport awaits more flights
  • No improvement on sanitation front
  • Issues concerning border areas remain unresolved
Although he has faced much criticism for remaining inaccessible to the people of his constituency, Capt Amarinder Singh has been consistently raising issues concerning his constituency as well as the state.
 
Performance in Parliament
Amarinder has participated in four debates and posed 13 questions in the Lok Sabha in the past one year. In the last session, he raised the issue of deteriorating law and order in Punjab in the backdrop of the molestation and murder of a young girl in a bus owned by the ruling Badal family. 
He took up the issue of Indian hostages, most of whom are Punjabis, in Iraq. He also highlighted the issue of rising prices of essential commodities and the alleged failure of the NDA government in fulfilling its promises.
 
‘Let people judge my performance’
"Despite odds I am doing my bit for my constituency, but a lot needs to be done. We have a government in the state which is headed by our rival party. Besides, we are in the Opposition at the Centre. We have to effectively plead and assert our case. I leave the final word to the people as they have always been the better judges."
 
Opposition’s take
Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, vice-president, state BJP, said: “Amarinder never bothered to visit the constituency and meet the people here. He is so inaccessible that the people here have forgotten that they had elected Captain as their representative. He also has a poor track record in attending Parliament leave alone raising issues concerning the state.”
 

 
Patiala
Dharamvira Gandhi (AAP)
 
Questions asked: 15
MPLAD funds utilised: Rs 5 crore
Attendance: 70%
 
Initiatives taken
  • Bagged Rs 1,720-crore project for electrification of Rajpura-Bathinda rail track
  • Got six out of nine wildlife sanctuaries fenced
  • Instrumental in getting Patiala chosen as a smart city
  • Disbursed Rs 18 lakh from PMO Relief Fund among poor patients
  • Sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for Nabha fire brigade 

Unkept promises

  • Failed to take any measure to tame the Ghaggar
  • Failed to connect Rajpura with Chandigarh via rail
  • Couldn’t provide 40% of the city population access to potable water

Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, who is a reputed cardiologist, was the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party in Parliament till about a month ago. Gandhi has always been a vociferous social activist. He was detained for a month in Amritsar for protesting against the 1977 Emergency.

Performance in Parliament

He was the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party in Parliament till about a month ago. He delivered 30 speeches and participated in nearly two dozen discussions. He commented on the agrarian crisis, land acquisition bill, labour laws, privatisation of education and health, caste, communalism and gender discrimination. He also spoke about the need to focus on literature, science and research. He raised the issue of transgender rights and spoke against Juvenile Act. 

‘Satisfied with my work’ 

"I am very satisfied with my performance so far. I have been able to get various works done in my constituency. I have been raising issues such as the flooding of Ghaggar, rail connectivity, etc. I have been assured that the problems will be addressed."

Opposition’s take

Congress legislator Preneet Kaur said, “I need not comment on Dr Dharamvira Gandhi’s performance. Let the people decide."


Anandpur Sahib
PS Chandumajra (SAD)

Questions asked: 113

Mplad funds utilised: Rs 4.5 crore

Attendance: 91%

Initiatives taken

  • Anandpur Sahib-Amritsar train service started
  • NFL expansion
  • Defence clearance for Mohali international airport
  • Mohali drain construction started
  • Banga-Anandpur Sahib via Garhshankar declared national highway 

Unkept promises

  • No protection to crops from wild animals 
  • Drinking water, irrigation facilities lacking in Kandi areas
  • BBMB workshop promising jobs to local youth yet to come up
  • Modern timber, cattle markets not materialised
  • Four-laning of Kharar-Kurali road pending

Prem Singh Chandumajra is a seasoned politician. He is known for his aggressive persona. 

Performance in Parliament

Chandumajra remained a proactive MP as far as his participation in discussions in Parliament is concerned. He not only raised the issue of crop loss due to inclement weather in the state but also sought bonus over wheat MSP to farmers against yield loss. He raised the issue of Punjab’s right on Chandigarh and river water dispute. He demanded the scrapping of NRI blacklist and incentives to state industry on pattern of hill states.

‘Most pre-poll promises fulfilled’

"All promises made during the election have either been fulfilled or work on them has started.  The problem of wild animals will be resolved soon. A project worth Rs 28 crore has beep prepared to supply drinking water to Kandi area villages. Three rail lines – Mohali-Rajpura, Anandpur Sahib-Garhshankar and Rahon-Khanna -- will be announced soon."

Opposition’s take

HS Shergill, Aam Aadmi Party leader, who contested unsuccessfully against Chandumajra, said the SAD leader had sought votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi who promised “achhe din” for the country. “In contrast, the people, particularly of Punjab, are suffering. The MP failed to bring any relief to people on matters concerning the constituency such as delay in distribution of grants and illegal mining,” he said.


Khadoor Sahib
RS Brahmpura (SAD)

Questions asked: Nil
Mplad funds utilised: Rs 1.89 crore
Attendance: 79%
 
Initiatives taken
The MP reportedly failed to initiate any project in his constituency. When questioned on the matter, Brahmpura himself couldn’t recall any major work done by him.
 
Unkept promises
  • Railway over-bridge project at Jandiala Mandi yet to take off
  • Construction work not started on the Beas bridge 
  • No de-addiction centre set up
  • Multi-specialty sports stadium in Zira lying defunt
  • No employment opportunities generated

Despite being the leader of SAD’s parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha, the Khadoor Sahib MP never asked even a single question in Parliament in the past one year.

Performance in Parliament

“I could not ask any question in the Parliament so far since there is a provision of conducting lottery system to choose the names of MPs who want to pose questions. Call it my hard luck, the slip bearing my name was never picked up,” he says. The MP, nevertheless, participated in a number of debates including, Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Railway Budget.

‘Working to get issues resolved’

I have released MPLAD funds in all nine Assembly constituencies. We are facing shortage of staff at health and education institutions as doctors and teachers do not want to serve in remote areas. Drug addiction is rampant. We are working to get the issues resolved

Opposition’s take

Harminder Singh Gill, general secretary, PPCC, says, “Brahmpura is following his party’s precedent of allocating his quota of funds to cater to his vote bank only. Despite having its alliance partner ruling at the Centre, no thought was spared to develop a special economic zone here, which could have given a boost to the development and generated employment opportunities.”


Hoshiarpur
Vijay Sampla (BJP)

Questions asked: 1

Mplad funds utilised: Rs 2.49 crore

Attendance: 97%

Initiatives taken

  • Survey for rail link extension projects approved 
  • Periodicity of Hoshiarpur Express increased
  • Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road declared national highway
  • Punjab included in pilot project of Pradhanmantri Aadarsh Gram Yojna 
  • Rs 100 crore released for Mukerian-Nangal rail project

Unkept promises

  • No major project approved for Kandi areas
  • Industrial package eludes Hoshiarpur 
  • Tertiary Cancer Care Centre yet to be completed
  • Hoshiarpur-Ferozepur morning passenger not restored
  • No relaxation or incentives to the ailing carbon industry

Coming from a modest background, Sampla rose to become Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. The BJP leader has worked as farm hand, labourer and plumber.

Performance in Parliament

The first-time MP and Minister of State in the Union government has a good attendance record in Parliament. He attended 97 per cent of the meetings and participated in four debates. Prior to his induction in the Union Cabinet, he had asked one question regarding collection of tax by cantonment boards in Punjab. As compared to 83 per cent attendance in first session, his attendance in the Budget session was cent per cent.

Have ensured ‘achhe din’: Sampla

I have fulfilled the promises made to the people of Hoshiarpur. The daily train to Delhi, surveys for rail link extension, national highways and especially the rail link from Mukerian to Talwara make it evident. I will perform even better in the remaining four years and ensure that my constituency gets much more than what was promised. 

Opposition’s take

Mohinder Singh KP, senior Congress leader who unsuccessfully contested against Sampla, terms the first year of the MP a complete failure. “Sampla has failed to get any project for Jalandhar. He is taking credit of highway projects already approved by the UPA government.”


Faridkot
Prof Sadhu Singh (AAP)

Questions asked: 12

Attendance: 70 per cent 

Funds utilised: Rs 2.24 crore

Initiatives taken

  • Installed ROs in constituency
  • Constructed separate toilets for girls in schools
  • Built rooms for students in schools 
  • Provided machines to clean choked sewerage pipes
  • Sanctioned a fire tender for Kotkapura 

Unkept promises 

  • No improvement in law and order 
  • Couldn’t check drug menace
  • Failed to provide drinking water 
  • Didn’t upgrade education standard in schools
  • Inaccessible to the common man 

Prof Sadhu Singh joined politics in 2014. He has raised the issue of youths going missing in Faridkot in Parliament. 

Performance in Parliament

Sadhu Singh raised 12 questions in Parliament. He demanded a CBI probe into the kidnapping and disappearance of youths. He told Parliament that the state police had not cracked even a single kidnapping case. 

Sadhu Singh claims:

I tried to improve law and order and upgrade the education standard in my constituency. Even though I have not been in the pink of health, I raised local issues in Parliament.

Opposition’s take

Sadhu Singh has been sluggish in utilising MPLAD funds. He has failed to keep any of his promise. — Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, former Akali MP


Ludhiana
Ravneet Singh Bittu (Cong)

Questions asked: 188 

Mplad funds utilised: Rs 2.5 crore

Attendance: 92%

Initiatives taken

  • He has sanctioned Rs 3.5 crore for development of infrastructure in his constituency
  • Has released Rs 1 crore for sarpanches
  • Has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for educational institutes
  • Has released another Rs 50 lakh for the construction of solar street lights 
  • Has provided Rs 70 lakh for the setting up of tube wells in the city 

Unkept promises

  • Failed to set up PGIMER in Ludhiana
  • Couldn’t start flights from Ludhiana to Delhi
  • Didn’t release funds for PAU
  • Couldn’t tackle pollution in Ludhiana 
  • Didn’t check pollution in Buddha Nullah

Ravneet Singh Bittu is an MP from Ludhiana parliamentary constituency from where he won in spite of a nationwide anti-Congress wave. Earlier, he represented Anandpur Sahib. He is the grandson of slain state Chief Minister Beant Singh.

Performance in Parliament:

Bittu's has participated in 25 debates, including rising unemployment due to shutting down of small-scale industry; postage stamp of Kartar Singh Sarabha; abducted Indians in Iraq; etc. He has also spoken about the flagging garment export industry in Ludhiana, Moga bus molestation case and government's control over the board of Hazur Sahib. He spoke about the agrarian crisis in the country. Bittu said there was a need to make provision for the setting up of godowns for storage of foodgrain on platforms of railway stations across the country.  

‘Will provide relief to small-scale industry’

I took up the issue of the small-scale industry in the state. We urged the government to remove import duty on scrap. Besides, we have been working consistently on the Buddha Nullah issue. At present, the report of the Standing Committee is awaited.

Opposition’s take

The public is the best judge of an MP’s work for the constituency. We have, so far, not seen Bittu actively addressing issues. His office in the mini-secretariat is rarely open for the public. — HS Phoolka, AAP leader

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