Responding to the report on the Rural Development Ministry’s figures (“Some MPs too busy to ‘monitor’ rural work in their backyard,” The Indian Express, August 10) which claimed that some MPs are not holding district-level vigilance meetings to monitor development work, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that he has held several meetings in Shivpuri district where he is the Chairman of the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee.

“The district-level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee meetings have been held by me in Shivpuri district on the following dates — September 18, 2005; March 22, 2006; November 11, 2006; and March 18, 2007,” Scindia said in a letter to this newspaper.

“The next meeting has already been scheduled by me during my upcoming tour on August 11, 2007, and notice to this effect has been issued by the local administration much in advance. The NREG (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) is a program that I believe will go a long way in providing the much needed opportunities to the economically weaker sections and people in rural areas. On many occasions, I have raised many issues regarding the implementation of this programme in Parliament and separately with the Minister of Rural Development, specifically with respect to corruption and its shoddy execution by the Madhya Pradesh Government.”

On Ashoknagar district which also falls under his purview, Scindia told The Indian Express that he had attended one meeting on April 7, 2006, and another meeting of which he could not recollect the date.

... contd.