**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer provided by the Minister of State in response to Unstarred Question No. 2807 in Lok Sabha, addressing development work under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds. The question inquired about the timeframe for issuing sanctions, delays, actions taken against officers, and assessment of government revenue loss due to delays. The answer references MPLADS Guidelines 2023 and measures taken to monitor and improve implementation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Sanction Timeframe:**
* As per MPLADS Guidelines 2023, the Implementing District Authority must issue the sanction/rejection for recommendations made by the Member of Parliament within 45 days of receiving the recommendation.
* **Delay Factors & Responsibility:**
* Delays in administrative and technical sanctions are often due to incomplete proposals, local disputes, land/site constraints, statutory clearances, and technical issues.
* The District Authorities are responsible for timely scrutiny, sanction, and execution of MPLAD works.
* **Ministry Oversight & Corrective Actions:**
* The Ministry reviews scheme implementation through regular meetings with States, Union Territories, and District Authorities.
* Deviations from stipulated timelines are highlighted, and corrective action/compliance is requested.
* Pendency reports are disseminated, highlighting works pending sanction beyond 45 days, incomplete projects (within 1 year of sanction) and non-payments (within 3 months of sanction).
* When inordinate delays are reported, State/UT Governments and District Authorities are asked to examine the matter and take action against responsible officials and strengthen monitoring.
* **Loss Assessment:**
* The Ministry does not have plans to assess the loss of Government revenue due to delays in MPLAD development works. However, the ministry undertakes third-party physical evaluation of MPLADS works.
**Impact Analysis**
**Implementing District Authority**
* **Impact:** Required to adhere to the 45-day sanction/rejection timeline and ensure all clearances are obtained before sanctioning work. Responsible for addressing factors causing delays and timely execution.
* **Action Required:** Issue sanctions/rejections within 45 days, ensure regulatory compliance before sanctioning, improve scrutiny process, and resolve local disputes.
**State/UT Government**
* **Impact:** Must address instances of inordinate delay in MPLAD works, including taking action against responsible officials.
* **Action Required:** Examine reported delays, take administrative action against responsible officials, and strengthen internal monitoring.
**Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation**
* **Impact:** Responsible for monitoring scheme implementation, identifying deviations, and requesting corrective action.
* **Action Required:** Continue regular reviews, disseminate pendency reports, request corrective action from States/UTs and District Authorities.
**Members of Parliament**
* **Impact:** Recommendations are subject to a defined timeframe for sanction/rejection. Timely execution depends on the Implementing District Authority.
* **Action Required:** Ensure recommendations are complete and compliant with guidelines. Follow up with Implementing District Authority on pending sanctions.
Key Entities Referenced
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD): A scheme that allows Members of Parliament to recommend developmental works in their constituencies using MPLAD funds.
MPLADS Guidelines: The rules and regulations governing the implementation and operation of the MPLAD Scheme.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: The Ministry responsible for the MPLAD scheme and for addressing the questions raised in the Lok Sabha.
Implementing District Authority: The local authority responsible for sanctioning and executing works under the MPLAD scheme at the district level.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was raised.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2807
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025
DEVELOPMENT WORK UNDER MPLAD FUNDS
2807. MS. KANGNA RANAUT:
DR. MANNA LAL RAWAT:
SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:
SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION be
pleased to state:
(a) the details with regard to the time frame for issuing of various sanctions
to the works by the local administration in the wake of the developmental
works recommended by the Members of Parliament under the Members of
Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds;
(b) whether the Government is aware of the inordinate delay in issuing of
sanctions to these development works by the local administration;
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken against the guilty
officers in order to check the inordinate delays;
(d) whether the Government has any plan to assess the loss of Government
revenue due to inordinate delays in development works to be undertaken
under the MPLAD funds; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF
STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, MINISTER OF STATE
(INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER
OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) As per the MPLADS Guidelines 2023, the sanction/rejection in respect
of all recommendations made by the Member of Parliament shall be issued
by the Implementing District Authority within 45 days from the date of
receipt of the recommendations to the Implementing District Authority.(b) & (c) As per the MPLADS Guidelines, the Implementing District
Authority shall, before sanctioning any work, ensure that all requisite
statutory and regulatory clearances have been obtained from the competent
authorities, that the work conforms to the MPLADS Guidelines, and that a
written undertaking has been obtained from the concerned User Agency
confirming its willingness to bear the operation and maintenance costs of
the proposed asset from its own resources.
It has been observed that delays in the issuance of administrative and
technical sanctions for works recommended under the MPLAD Scheme are
generally attributable to factors such as submission of incomplete
proposals, local disputes, constraints relating to land availability or site
feasibility, requirements of statutory clearances, and technical issues at the
district level. As per the MPLADS Guidelines, the responsibility for timely
scrutiny, sanction, and execution of works rests with the District
Authorities.
The Ministry regularly reviews the implementation of the Scheme through
quarterly and monthly review meetings with States, Union Territories, and
District Authorities, highlighting the deviations from the timeline stipulated
in the MPLADS Guidelines with regard to sanction and completion of works,
and requests for corrective action/compliance from the concerned. For
objective monitoring, pendency reports are disseminated to States/UTs,
highlighting works pending for sanction beyond 45 days, works not
completed within one year of sanction, and works where no payments have
been made within three months of sanction.
Whenever instances of inordinate delay are brought to the notice of the
Ministry, the concerned State/UT Government and District Authority are
requested to examine the matter and take appropriate administrative action
against the responsible officials under the applicable service rules. They are
also advised to strengthen internal monitoring and oversight mechanisms to
ensure timely implementation of works recommended by Hon’ble Members
of Parliament.
(d) & (e) No Sir. However, the Ministry periodically undertakes a Third-
Party Physical Evaluation of MPLADS works, to assess the efficiency, &
impact of the Scheme.
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