New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday urged Members of Parliament to generously contribute from Members of Parliament Local Areas Development Scheme (MPLADS) for relief and rehabilitation works in floods-affected Kerala.
Both the leaders took the lead by deciding to donate their one month’s salary for relief and rehabilitation
in the floods ravaged state that has seen over 300 deaths from natural calamity this year.
They requested Members of Parliament to consider donating their one month’s salary for relief works.
Ms Mahajan and Mr Naidu, who met at the official residence of the Vice-President to discuss the scale of damage in Kerala, issued a joint appeal which said that in view the intensity and magnitude of the floods in Kerala, the Centre had declared it a calamity of a ‘severe nature’.
The MPLADS guidelines say that in the event of a calamity of `severe nature’ in any part of the country, a MP can recommend works up to a maximum of Rs 1 crore for the affected district.
The guidelines further say that from the day an MP makes such contribution, concerned authorities have to identify relief works in one month time and implement within eight months.
``We appeal to all the Members of Parliament to contribute generously from their MPLADS funds for relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas of Kerala, as permissible under the MPLADS guidelines, accordingly,’’ the joint appeal said.
``We have decided to donate our one month’s salary towards Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for this noble and humanitarian cause. We also appeal to all the Members of Parliament to consider donating their one month’s salary for the purpose”, it added.
Both the presiding officers will also write to MPs of both the Houses respectively seeking their help.
Earlier Mr Naidu discussed with the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, who is also the Chairman of the MPLADS Committee, the need to reach out to MPs for their generous contributions for relief works in Kerala.
He also spoke about the severity of damage to former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Prof P J Kurien, who is in Kerala.
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