The most Hon'ble Supreme Court has ruled that the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme or MPLADS is kosher. The Court said that fears of misuse is not does not make it illegal and it was for parliamentary committees to oversee how the money is spent. Under this scheme MPs get Rs. 20 million to spend on improving their constituencies or a total of Rs. 100 million over the life of a parliament. That is an enormous fortune in India especially in rural areas where one could improve roads, sewers, water supply, education, primary health care and a host of other services thus improving living conditions and the local economy. That none of the money is reaching the public is shown by the presence of another scheme called NREGA which guarantees 100 days of employment to villagers in need. In UP the government is considering partnership with private healthcare providers to provide primary healthcare to villagers. Ample evidence that the money is not going where it should. A lady politician, now in opposition, visited the south Delhi colony of Munirka, a typical middle class area where people live on top of each other in ill constructed flats. The residents had myriad complaints and asked why they should vote for her if she could not provide basic services. To which the lady brusquely replied that she did not care about their votes because her votes would come from slums. Yet slums are controlled by gangs and no one has seen any improvement, ever. Perhaps what the Hon'ble Court meant was that the money was going to be looted anyway so it is better to distribute the loot. Everyone enjoy.