Former HAS officer questions Mandi MP’s allegation on MPLADS funds, sparks political debate
Former HAS officer questions Mandi MP’s allegation on MPLADS funds, sparks political debate
Shimla, July 10,
A social media post by former Himachal Administrative Service (HAS) officer B.R. Kaundal has triggered a political debate after he questioned the allegation made by Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut that Deputy Commissioners in her parliamentary constituency had withheld funds recommended under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).
The controversy comes at a time when the Himachal Pradesh government is facing severe financial constraints and is attempting to mobilise every available resource for public expenditure.
Against this backdrop, the BJP MP’s allegation has drawn public attention, with political observers debating whether it reflects administrative lapses or has become part of a larger political narrative.
In his post, Kaundal questioned the credibility of the claim, saying that during his administrative career he had never witnessed a Deputy Commissioner refusing to process an MP’s recommendations under the MPLADS.
He argued that if such an unprecedented situation had indeed arisen, the MP should directly confront the concerned Deputy Commissioners instead of making a public allegation.
He further stated that the MP should disclose the list of developmental works for which MPLADS funds had been recommended in various districts of the Mandi parliamentary constituency.
According to him, making these details public would enable citizens to seek explanations from the respective district administrations regarding any delay in execution.
Kaundal also urged all Deputy Commissioners falling under the Mandi parliamentary constituency to publicly clarify the matter if the allegation was incorrect, saying that people deserved to know the facts.
Referring to another statement reportedly made by the MP that officials were not listening to her, Kaundal remarked that if an elected Member of Parliament was indeed unable to get administrative machinery to respond, it reflected poorly on the functioning of the system. He questioned how a parliamentarian could effectively discharge her responsibilities if her directions were allegedly being ignored.
He also expressed concern that political and administrative differences were ultimately affecting the public. Pointing to rehabilitation works following last year’s devastating monsoon disaster,
Kaundal said many affected families were still waiting for permanent housing while another monsoon season had already arrived.
The former bureaucrat maintained that since the MP had made the allegation publicly and the video of her remarks was circulating on social media, the district administrations should also place their version before the public to remove any confusion.
The controversy has fuelled fresh political discussion in the state, with questions being raised over whether the issue reflects genuine administrative hurdles in implementing MPLADS works or is merely a political confrontation.
Neither the district administrations concerned nor the state government had issued any official response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
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