BJP MP seeks accountability as Mandi meeting highlights low utilisation of development funds and delays in local projects
Mandi: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut quizzed government officials on the slow utilisation of funds allocated for development projects in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district at the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting on Saturday. The meeting covered the implementation of ongoing schemes, stalled projects and public funds, with Ranaut upset by what she said is the slow-to-materialise spending money meant for development.
Ranaut asked officials for the details about funds available under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) and questioned about the progress of projects approved through the scheme. While a lot of money had been released, she said only a considerable amount seemed to have been utilised at the local level.
According to the information presented during the meeting, more than Rs 11 crore has been released overall and around Rs 5.5 crore has been allocated locally. However, only around Rs 50 lakh to Rs 60 lakh had been utilised. The BJP MP asked officials to give reasons for the gap and to provide a sense of clarity on the status of projects funded through MPLADS.
Ranaut also questioned claims of much higher fund utilisation. When officials reported that around 90 percent of the available funds had been spent, the actor-turned-politician challenged the figures and indicated that the numbers did not appear to correspond to the ground-level utilisation being discussed.
She described the discrepancies as “jumlas” and sought performance reports from the concerned departments. Her demand was to establish how much money had actually been spent, which projects had been completed, and where delays had occurred.
The BJP MP also raised the issue of alleged irregularities and fraud in the implementation of development projects. She called for better reviews and for officials to be held accountable for public money. She also said sanctioned development funds have not been translated into reality and we have to change that.
MPLADS is intended to allow Members of Parliament to recommend development works based on local needs. The scheme can support projects involving basic infrastructure and community facilities. However, the use of sanctioned funds depends on the identification of projects, administrative approvals, execution by implementing agencies and completion of the required procedures.
At any stage, the allocated funds could be left unused even if projects are already identified. And residents who want improvements in roads, public facilities, community infrastructure and other essential services can also be affected by delays.
Ranaut’s role in the Mandi meeting was welcomed by her supporters who saw her questioning of officials as an attempt to better hold people accountable and to ensure that development funds do not sit idle. They argued that elected representatives should be watching out for whether money sanctioned for public welfare is reaching the intended beneficiaries.
Critics at the same time wondered if the confrontation would translate into faster execution on the ground. “Fund utilisation is often affected by administrative processes and coordination between many government agencies, and political criticism alone is not enough to resolve delays,” they said.
I always get negative comments for being a supporter of her, but I know a fierce leader like @KanganaTeam can actually get the bureaucracy in line in Himachal Pradesh. Every local knows how bureaucrats ignore people’s work. Happy to see her taking them to task at the DISHA… pic.twitter.com/hLpxFewbHO
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) September 5, 2026
The meeting, however, brought attention to development projects in Mandi and the importance of transparent reporting. Ranaut's demand for performance reports could provide greater clarity about pending works, expenditure and the reasons behind delays.
The issue also points to a broader problem with public development funds: sanctioning money is only the first step, and timely execution and transparent monitoring are key to the impact of the allocation on citizens. For Mandi residents, the key question now will be whether the concerns raised during the meeting will bring about faster action on stalled projects and better use of the funds that have already been made available to them.
Given the pressure on officials to provide detailed expenditure and performance reports, MPLADS implementation is likely to continue to be under scrutiny. The meeting will be closely watched for the progress towards tangible timelines for projects in progress and more effective mechanisms to minimize the use of public funds.
