The real purpose of an elected Member of Parliament is more than merely taking active or passive part in Parliamentary debates on national issues, marshal arguments and counter arguments, become part of demonstrations and walk outs or hurl chairs and benches on opposition members and finally create ruckus in the house to lead to suspension of the session. They are the representatives of the people who have voted for them. But have the people voted them to do all these negative and often shameful activities? Certainly not. Thus the elected members are misusing the trust placed by people in them. Why should not there be clear and unambiguous law to disqualify such members from the membership of the Parliament just because they are indulging in an activity for which they don’t have mandate from any voter.
The real role of an MP is much wider and more important than what they think. We are generalising the issue. One of the important tasks the MPs have to perform is to ensure that various Central schemes and projects launched by different Central ministries in respective states or on national level are properly and efficiently implemented and that its benefits accrue to common man. The MPs are a bridge between the Government and the people. How best can they utilise the position and status in the interests of the people is what the MPs have to decide.
We would like to remind our readers that in these columns we have often raised the issue of non implementation or part implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in our State for one reason or the other and ultimately to the detriment of the people of the State. The point in sight is of at least ten Centrally sponsored schemes of the Union Ministry of Rural Development. The fate of these schemes in our state will be understood from utterly casual approach of our MPs in giving due importance to the Vigilance and Monitoring Committees that were mandated for each district with the District Commissioner as the Secretary and the MP concerned of the constituencies in the chair. The schemes fall under the nomenclature of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, Indira Awaas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, National Land Records Modernization Programme, Rural Sanitation Programme, National Social Assistance Programme and Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme.
It is for anybody to visualize the importance of these schemes to rural population of our State. How much benefit would accrue to this segment of population if these schemes are properly monitored, evaluated and implemented? We can also understand the loss which non implementation carries. Instructions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development were clear that meetings of these district committees are to be held quarterly and the purpose was to asses the difficulties in implementing the schemes and finding out ways and means how to overcome these. Most importantly, the mandate of these committees is to ensure that funds are used for the purpose for which they are meant and effectively liaise and coordinate with the Ministry of Rural Development and State Government. But unfortunately as against expected 264 such meetings that should have been held for last three years 2011-12-13, only 6 meetings have been held. Anantnag district held one meeting, Poonch district 2 meetings and Pulwama districts held one meeting. Not only that the Union Ministry of Rural Development had even fixed the schedule of days for holding such meetings and also had given the choice of rescheduling the meetings if the days were not convenient for one or the other reason. No meeting has been convened in respect of Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kargil, Kathua, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Kupwara, Leh, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Srinagar and Udhampur districts.
We are aware that the MPs, soon after the Parliamentary election had to remain busy with various important matters once there was change of Government and they would take some time to get acclimatised to their business. But what about the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 during which period no meetings were ever held.
In final analysis, we suggest that the people of concerned districts should demand the DCs and the concerned MPs to call regular quarterly meetings and discuss developmental issues. Even the MPs have to understand that their more serious job is to address the problems of the people of their constituencies rather than feel happy with playing Robin Hood inside the Parliament house.
Follow our WhatsApp channel