New Indian Express: Uttarakhand: Monday,
January 26, 2026.
A startling revelation under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has exposed that several MPs from Uttarakhand are allocating significant portions of their Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to projects in neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, even as remote areas within Uttarakhand continue to grapple with severe infrastructure deficits, including basic amenities like clean water.
Documents
obtained via RTI show that MPs have sanctioned approximately Rs 1.28 crore for
works such as installing tube wells, constructing community halls, and
improving drainage systems in other states.
This practice has ignited sharp criticism from the opposition Congress, which accuses the ruling party of prioritising sectarian politics over regional development.
The data highlights that Tehri Garhwal MP, Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah, leads the list in allocating funds outside the state. She has reportedly focused substantial aid on the Agra district in Uttar Pradesh, sanctioning a total of Rs 1 crore for the financial year 2024–25 for projects including footpaths, pedestrian ways, and drinking water schemes.
Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal also appears on the list, having allocated Rs 25 lakh for school, college, and community building projects in Haryana.
Even funds sanctioned years ago continue to be utilised elsewhere. Former Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay’s allocation from his 2010–2016 tenure, sanctioned as late as December 10, 2025, saw Rs 3 lakh approved for drainage and road works in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Almora MP Ajay Tamta also directed funds toward a neighboring district, approving Rs 5 lakh for constructing rooms and halls in schools and colleges in Nainital, despite the broader state needs.
This ability to spend CDF outside the constituency stems from recent amendments to the guidelines. A letter from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation dated August 13, 2024, revised the rules, now allowing MPs to recommend development works anywhere in the country, subject to a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh per financial year.
Defending the expenditure, Tehri MP Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah stated that the people of Uttarakhand reside across the nation.
“Some individuals approached me with genuine needs, and based on that, certain works were approved,” Shah commented. “The development of Tehri remains my primary focus, and the majority of my fund is spent here.”
Garima Mahara Dasouni, Chief Spokesperson of the Congress Party, launched a scathing attack, stating, “While Members of Parliament may cite technical discretion in the use of Constituency Development Funds, it is nothing short of a betrayal of Uttarakhand to ignore the large-scale migration from its hill regions driven by neglect, unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure - only to divert public funds to projects outside the state.”
She further added, “What is even more disturbing is the growing pattern of these funds being channelled towards private institutions, raising serious questions about intent, transparency, and possible misuse of public money. This selective generosity towards private entities reeks of impropriety and demands immediate scrutiny.”
Dasouni asserted, “The BJP has completely abandoned the people of Uttarakhand. Instead of focusing on roads, healthcare, education, and employment in the hills, the party is obsessed with the politics of temples, mosques, and shrines. Symbolism has replaced substance, and propaganda has replaced governance.”
A startling revelation under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has exposed that several MPs from Uttarakhand are allocating significant portions of their Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to projects in neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, even as remote areas within Uttarakhand continue to grapple with severe infrastructure deficits, including basic amenities like clean water.
This practice has ignited sharp criticism from the opposition Congress, which accuses the ruling party of prioritising sectarian politics over regional development.
The data highlights that Tehri Garhwal MP, Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah, leads the list in allocating funds outside the state. She has reportedly focused substantial aid on the Agra district in Uttar Pradesh, sanctioning a total of Rs 1 crore for the financial year 2024–25 for projects including footpaths, pedestrian ways, and drinking water schemes.
Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal also appears on the list, having allocated Rs 25 lakh for school, college, and community building projects in Haryana.
Even funds sanctioned years ago continue to be utilised elsewhere. Former Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay’s allocation from his 2010–2016 tenure, sanctioned as late as December 10, 2025, saw Rs 3 lakh approved for drainage and road works in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Almora MP Ajay Tamta also directed funds toward a neighboring district, approving Rs 5 lakh for constructing rooms and halls in schools and colleges in Nainital, despite the broader state needs.
This ability to spend CDF outside the constituency stems from recent amendments to the guidelines. A letter from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation dated August 13, 2024, revised the rules, now allowing MPs to recommend development works anywhere in the country, subject to a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh per financial year.
Defending the expenditure, Tehri MP Mala Rajya Lakshmi Shah stated that the people of Uttarakhand reside across the nation.
“Some individuals approached me with genuine needs, and based on that, certain works were approved,” Shah commented. “The development of Tehri remains my primary focus, and the majority of my fund is spent here.”
Garima Mahara Dasouni, Chief Spokesperson of the Congress Party, launched a scathing attack, stating, “While Members of Parliament may cite technical discretion in the use of Constituency Development Funds, it is nothing short of a betrayal of Uttarakhand to ignore the large-scale migration from its hill regions driven by neglect, unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure - only to divert public funds to projects outside the state.”
She further added, “What is even more disturbing is the growing pattern of these funds being channelled towards private institutions, raising serious questions about intent, transparency, and possible misuse of public money. This selective generosity towards private entities reeks of impropriety and demands immediate scrutiny.”
Dasouni asserted, “The BJP has completely abandoned the people of Uttarakhand. Instead of focusing on roads, healthcare, education, and employment in the hills, the party is obsessed with the politics of temples, mosques, and shrines. Symbolism has replaced substance, and propaganda has replaced governance.”
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