Advani doesn't seem to have monitored the projects sanctioned from his Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds.
Is it a case of someone taking the BJP's prime ministerial candidate and four-time MP from Gandhinagar, LK Advani, for a ride or an example of government projects moving at a snail's pace? In any case, Advani doesn't seem to have monitored the projects sanctioned from his Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds.
This comes out loud and clear in a random field survey conducted by the DNA on the basis of list of his works provided by the district planning officer, Ahmedabad. It came to light that work on many projects financed by Advani has either not started or just started after a delay of three years . Many of these works were sanctioned in 2005-06.
Advani has probably given grants for the highest number of projects in Asarava in his last term. The DNA survey revealed that execution of three road works in Asarava, for which Rs6.5 lakh had been granted by Advani in 2005-06, and another road work approved in 2006-07 at a cost of Rs1.47 lakh has not started even today.
DNA found that in 2005-06 Rs1 lakh was allotted for resurfacing the road between block no 125 to 136 near Meghaninagar vegetable market, Rs2.5 lakh was allotted for widening and resurfacing of road between block no 15 and block no 129, from block no 129 to block no 128 and from block no 128 to 135 and Rs3 lakh for road between block no 136 and block no.123. But people living in these blocks said no road has been made in last many years.
Haresh Patel, who lives in 136/32 said no road has been made there for many years. Naresh Solanki, who lives in block no 128/3049 said, "I don't know about any grants, but in the last five years no road has been made." Mehul Patel, resident of block no 139 said, "For many years we have just a kuchha road. Our corporator said many times that he will get the road built on receipt of grants." Grant for this road was released in 2006-07.
DNA further found that the work of building a community centre at Kubernagar ward, for which a grant of Rs1 lakh had been made, and work on resurfacing of road between Meghaninagar block no 123 and 137, for which Rs4.49 lakh had been allocated, has just started.
Such cases were found elsewhere also. In 2005-06, Rs1 lakh was allocated for an RCC Road in crematorium at Bopal. But no road has been built till now. Similarly, the same year, Rs1 lakh was granted for fountain, benches and other equipment at a public garden near government tubewell. But no fountain and benches were found there.
Again, Advani had given Rs12 lakh in grant for the construction of a gym-cum-library under the Shyama Prasad Mukherji bridge. But, according to a builder, the kind of construction done there would not cost more than Rs1 lakh. There are just two walls covered with steel sheets.
DNA also learnt that Rs15 lakh was allocated during 2006-07 for the construction of a gymnasium in Auda garden at Bodekdev near DLA school. Work on this started barely one-and-a-half months back.
Every MP gets Rs2 crore annually for his constituency development. Official data shows that between 2005-06 and 2008-09, Advani has not been able to spend the full amount in any year. An AMC official said that much times is taken in completing administrative processes; so, many a time MP's fund is not used on time.
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