E-Paper
Bapat lists MPLAD spending, achievements in 18 months as MP
HT had sent Bapat sent a detailed a copy of the report. This is his response to some of the questions
City-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Punevotes, on Sunday, announced a performance audit of the city’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Girish Bapat. The NGO claims a detailed analysis of the pronouncements made by MP Bapat since getting elected to the Parliament through a questionnaire ranging from his public spending through MP Local Area Development Fund, bills proposed, questions asked and membership in parliamentary committees.
PuneVotes is a branch of MumbaiVotes.com which is a not for profit, independent info-bank. The portal is the outreach arm of the informed voter project which is a registered non-profit institution with the charity commissioner’s office in Mumbai
HT had sent Bapat sent a detailed a copy of the report. This is his response to some of the questions.
What is the latest on infrastructure projects, including the airport and railways in Pune?
My attendance in Parliament is 97 per cent, where I have voiced the needs of my people and raised issues of critical importance. We took up the issue with the defence ministry for infrastructure development at Lohegaon airport. Due to this discussion, the airforce authorities made land available for upgradation and this will benefit citizens at large. Also, it will give a major boost to cargo services at the airport in Pune. I was recently appointed president of the Pune Railway Division and immediately thereafter, I took up the upgradation of the Pune-Miraj, Pune–Belgaum and Pune-Nasik railway routes. I also held a meeting with officials of the Union ministry of surface transport, seeking early completion of the Chandni chowk highway widening.
What is the status of funds under the MP Local Area Development Fund (MPLAD) scheme?
I have spent Rs 1.45 crore for ambulance services; Rs five lakh for setting up libraries for Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants; Rs 50 lakh has been spent on upgradation of drainage infrastructure in Pune; and Rs 60 lakh has been spent for road infrastructure development in the city. We had received a total of Rs 2.60 crore from the Union government under the MPLAD scheme. Currently, due to the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, funds under MPLAD scheme have been frozen.
What are the other city initiatives undertaken which have yielded results ?
I resolved the Bhama Ashkhed crisis and the issues related to farmers’ lands, due to which round-the-clock water supply system will come become functional soon. I have taken up issues of the Khadki and Pune Cantonment areas with the respective CEOs. I held 10 meetings with Maha Nagar Gas Limited (MNGL), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and police authorities, and between 52,000 and 60,000 households will have direct MNGL connections at their residences.
What about the Covid-19 crisis in Pune?
We have carried strong grassroots work among citizens, where we did our level best to mitigate the crisis through provisions of medicines, setting up of quarantine centres, and enrolling doctors and nurses for Corona care. All the work has been documented in the form of booklet, “Bringing Society on one platform while combating the Corona crisis”.
