Among the many austerity measures taken by the government to battle COVID-19, suspension of the MPLADS for a period of two years is one. Review of the MPLADS data for the last few Lok Sabha tenures indicates that most of the works under MPLADS are recommended during the last year of a Lok Sabha tenure. On 06 April 2020, the Union Cabinet took a decision to keep on hold the operation of MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) for the next two years i.e. 2020-21 & 2020-21. This decision was taken in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country, where-in the funds earmarked for MPLADS, will be now at the disposal of Ministry of Finance and can be made available for COVID-19 related containment and relief efforts. This decision would effectively result in the following. The opinion is divided on this decision of the government. Members from the opposition parties have said that it is a unliteral decision by government and such centralization can be detrimental to parliamentary democracy. There is also an opinion that earlier track record of Central Government, the delays in devolution funds, could hamper targeted local level works which MPLADS used to take care off. Meanwhile, there is also an argument that suspension of MPLADS could be a step in the right direction. However, what does the available data and information about MPLADS say about this scheme? We took a look at the numbers relating to the scheme and observations made about the implementation & workings of MPLADS. 86% of released funds unspent during the first year of 17th Lok Sabha Each MP is entitled to ₹ 5 Crores per year as part of MPLADS. As against this entitlement of ₹ 5 crores, only ₹2.5 crores were released to the MPs (with exception of few MPs) during the first year of the constitution of 17 Lok Sabha i.e. 2019-20. This is because the annual entitlement of ₹ 5 crores is released, in two equal instalments of Rs 2.5 crore each, subject to certain conditions as listed in the guidelines of this scheme. This means that many of the MPs did not spend enough to become eligible for the release of the second instalment. This released amount is a total of ₹ 1512.5 for 2019-20. Coupled with interest, the total amount available with District Authorities is ₹ 1,526.24 crores for 2019-20. Out of the released amount, the cumulative amount that was recommended by the MPs for various works amounted to ₹ 691.25 crores, of which the District Authorities have sanctioned ₹ 469.87 crores. A total of ₹ 207.54 crores were spent so far on various works, which is only around 14% of the total amount that is released to the MPs in 2019-20. Even in terms of the sanctioned amount, the utilization so far is less than half. Nearly 2000 crores of unspent amount from the past three Lok Sabhas, with another 1600 crores unspent by Rajya Sabha members. In the 14th Lok Sabha, Government of India has released a total of ₹ 14.02 thousand crores, which totalled to ₹14.47 thousand crores with interest added. Of the total ₹15.7 thousand crores worth of works recommended by the MPs; the respective district authorities have sanctioned ₹ 14.35 thousand crores for carrying out various works, of which ₹ 14.32 thousand crores were utilized. ₹151.13 crores of available funds available to the MPs of 14 Lok Sabha remains unutilized. In the 15th Lok Sabha, a total of ₹10.26 thousand crores was released to MPs under MPLADS, which accumulated to ₹ 10.9 thousand crores along with Interest. MPs of 15 Lok Sabha have recommended works worth ₹ 12.22 thousand crores, of which the District authorities have sanctioned works worth ₹ 10.47 thousand crores. A total of ₹ 10.43 crores were spent by the district authorities for various works. However, around ₹ 463 crores available for MPs of 15Lok Sabha remains unspent. ₹12.36 thousand crores were released to the MPs of 16th Lok Sabha under MPLADS by Government of India (GoI) which accumulated to ₹13.33 thousand crores along with interest. The MPs have recommended works worth ₹15.53 thousand crores, but only ₹ 13.47 thousand crores were sanctioned. A total of ₹ 1.38 thousand crores remain unspent with ₹11.96 thousand crores utilized by the district authorities for various works. A total of ₹ 1.99 thousand crores i.e. 5.4% of the total amount released by GoI under MPLADS over the past three Lok Sabhas remain unspent, with a major portion of it belonging to the 16 Lok Sabha. Nearly ₹ 1.66 thousand crores out of ₹ 15.93 thousand crores released to Rajya Sabha MPs remains unspent. Of this, ₹ 540 crores are unspent by the Sitting Rajya Sabha MPs and ₹ 1.12 thousand crores released to ex-Rajya Sabha MPs is unutilized.