हिंदी
Centre Must Increase Fund Allocation to States as per Ground Realities: MP Malvinder Singh Kang
Time-Bound and Honest Utilisation of MPLAD Grants Must Be Ensured: MP Kang
Development Schemes Should Be Implemented with Sensitivity and Accountability: MP Kang
SAS Nagar, 30 December 2025
Member of Parliament from Sri Anandpur Sahib, S. Malvinder Singh Kang, on Monday strongly criticised the BJP-led Union Government for renaming the MNREGA scheme, stating that the move has diluted the very purpose for which the flagship programme was conceived.Addressing the media after chairing a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) at the District Administrative Complex, SAS Nagar, the MP said that merely changing the name of MNREGA would not address the real issues faced by the scheme. “Instead of cosmetic changes, the focus should be on strengthening the existing model to benefit more people and more states. Unfortunately, the new framework has shifted an additional financial burden onto the states, many of which are already struggling with limited resources,” he said.
S. Kang further pointed out that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha to register its protest against this move. He added that AAP MPs have already raised a strong voice in Parliament against the dilution of MNREGA and the Centre’s approach towards cooperative federalism.
Chairing the DISHA meeting to review the utilisation of Government of India-sponsored schemes and programmes, the MP emphasized that the current allocation of funds to states is inadequate. “There is an urgent need to increase central funding as per the actual requirements on the ground. States like Punjab, which play a crucial role in ensuring national food security, deserve a more supportive and sympathetic approach from the Union Government,” he asserted.
Addressing officers present in the meeting, S. Kang stressed the need for a humanitarian and people-centric approach in the utilisation of Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds. He directed that these grants must be utilised in a time-bound, transparent and honest manner so that their intended purpose of addressing pressing local needs is fulfilled effectively.
The MP conducted a detailed review of centrally sponsored schemes related to Health and Family Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayats, Local Bodies, Women and Child Development, Drinking Water Supply, Solid and Liquid Waste Management, Micro-Irrigation, Crop Residue Management Machinery, various subsidised schemes, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin and Urban), MNREGA works, Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, and other ongoing development projects.
He also took special note of key infrastructure projects, including the status of Kajauli Water Supply Project to Kharar, need of construction of high-level bridges on Jayanti ki Rao to ensure uninterrupted connectivity during the rainy season, and ongoing works being undertaken under MPLAD funds. The MP directed officials to expedite development works in Naya Gaon, stating that the area requires special attention due to its growing population and civic needs.
Deputy Commissioner Mrs Komal Mittal assured the MP Kang that all development works would be completed within the stipulated timelines. She informed that bottlenecks delaying utilisation of funds are being addressed on priority and that strict checks and balances are in place to ensure adherence to prescribed quality standards and specifications.
The meeting was attended by ADC (Urban Development) Anmol Singh Dhaliwal, ADC (Rural Development) Ms. Sonam Chaudhary, SDM Mohali Ms. Damandeep Kaur, along with senior officers from various departments.
