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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Until people have a say, it’s useless by Arvind Kejriwal

Until people have a say, it’s useless by Arvind Kejriwal

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published Published on Nov 5, 2009   modified Modified on Nov 5, 2009


The idea behind the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme is that since our MPs are people’s representatives and are supposedly interacting with the masses on a regular basis, they are best placed to know what the people want. Thus, if an MP has funds at his/her disposal, s/he would be able to utilise it without having to go through the exercise that usually delays disbursal of funds and implementing small, local projects.

But the question is, are our MPs actually asking people what they want? The fact is that a majority of them lose touch with people once they get elected. It needs to be found out how the money is being spent and where.

Also, from a constitutional point of view, there are two things that should be taken into account when one talks about the MPLAD scheme. Our Constitutional set-up provides for three lists — the Centre list, the state list and the concurrent list. Subjects like health, education, and law and order fall under the state list. The state is supposed to draft plans and spend on these items. But, through the MPLAD scheme, the Centre’s funds, which too is taxpayers’ money, are directed for purposes that should have been dealt with by the state.

Also, in our set-up the legislature is separated from the executive. In fact, the legislature — the MPs in Parliament — is supposed to keep a check on the functioning of the executive. But through the MPLAD scheme, the legislature is being asked to get into the realm of the executive. Then the question is: How can the legislature keep a check when its members are themselves becoming the executive?

The MPLAD scheme comes under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. However, the information furnished through RTI can only help in discovering mistakes and assessing whether people’s priorities have been met. It cannot influence the process of decision-making from the beginning.

The only way to ensure that people’s problems are being properly addressed is by having a more "direct democracy". Decisions related to the development of an area cannot be taken in a general public meeting. The only way to understand people’s needs is to establish and strengthen gram sabhas in the villages and mohalla sabhas in the cities. These ought to be the forum for the people to directly articulate their needs, which could be conveyed by sabha members to the MP, and the rest may follow.

Let people have a much greater role in what kind of development they want in their surroundings. Until vibrant sabhas are put in place, the MPLAD scheme should be scrapped.

Arvind Kejriwal is a Magasaysay Award winner and pioneering RTI activist


The Asian Age, 4 November, 2009, http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/opinion/op-ed/for-whose-development.aspx
 

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