Scrap CDF, hand over money to local bodies: Forum for Good Governance
Forum for Good Governance (FGG) on Tuesday demanded the Telangana government to scrap the Constituency Development Fund (CDF – from which funds are provided to MPs, MLAs and MLCs) and hand over the money to the local bodies. The FGG members pointed out that most of the MPs and MLAs did not spend their money and there was no proper audit done on the amount spent under the CDF.
Hyderabad: Forum for Good Governance (FGG) on Tuesday demanded the Telangana government to scrap the Constituency Development Fund (CDF – from which funds are provided to MPs, MLAs and MLCs) and hand over the money to the local bodies. The FGG members pointed out that most of the MPs and MLAs did not spend their money and there was no proper audit done on the amount spent under the CDF.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, FGG president Justice Reddappa Reddy, secretary M Padmanabha Reddy and vice-president Rao Chelikani said that the public money spent by the MLAs should be audited by the accountant-general but this was not happening.
There was no discussion and review of the works suggested by the MLAs/MLCs either in the Zilla Parishads in districts or in municipalities in cities. The CDF lacked transparency and accountability, said the FGG members. There was no audit done and if the audit was not done by June 30, it would be deemed to have done, they pointed out.
The FGG members observed that barring a few exceptions, the CDF was only helping the henchmen and party workers of MLAs/MLCs. Padmanabha Reddy said that there were 120 MLAs and 40 MLCs in Telangana and Rs 3 crore for each would mean Rs 480 crore without any treasury control or AG audit.
He said if this amount was transferred to local bodies like ZPs and Corporations, the needs of the people could be attended. “The MPs and MLAs can give proposals and these proposals can be discussed in ZP/Mandal/Corporation and works can be taken up. The audited accounts have to be approved by ZPs and Corporations before they are admitted,” said Padmanabha Reddy.
Padmanabha Reddy said that 25 per cent of the funds should be allocated to drinking water. “With successful launch of Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya, there is no need for MLA/MLC funds for drinking water, desiltation of tanks, etc,” said Reddy.
Padmanabha Reddy said that the major work of MLAs/MLCs was to legislate. They should discuss the problems of people in Assembly and help government in finding solutions. In case the government did not want to scrap the CDF, the proposals of the legislators should be discussed in ZP/Corporation and form part of the plan of ZP/Corporation, he said.
The FGG members pointed out that in Nalgonda, CDF utilisation was audited by a private chartered accountant.
