Suspending MPLAD scheme is undemocratic: Stalin

Stalin condoles DMK official's death due to corona

Chennai: The DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said the Central government’s decision to suspend the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme for two years instead of allocating additional funds for Covid-19 relief work is not a democratic decision.

In a statement issued here Stalin said MPLAD scheme is not an allowance for MPs but allocation of funds for projects that are needed by the people in a constituency.

Instead of allocating additional funds towards relief works for Covid-19 affected constituencies, withdrawing the existing funds puts the MPs in a spot and is not democratic act.

Stalin also questioned the reason for Central government allocating just Rs 510 crore for Tamil Nadu towards Covid-19 relief work.

He said while Uttar Pradesh with 234 Covid-19 patients got Rs 966 crore, Tamil Nadu with 621 patients got only Rs 510 crore.

Stalin said the Tamil Nadu government had requested a total sum of Rs 12,200 crore from the Central government for Covid-19 relief.

He said this clearly shows the Corona politics is being played by the Central government.