Chennai: Panel of DMK MPs unable to meet to review central plans

CHENNAI: A panel of Lok Sabha members set up to review schemes implemented by the Union government in the city has not met in a long time, affecting development. The last meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA), to monitor the Centrally-funded schemes was convened in January 2019, when all the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Chennai were represented by the AIADMK.In May 2019, the three constituencies were won by DMK candidates.
DISHA guidelines mandate that at least four meetings be convened every year to monitor the implementation of programmes of the Centre covering 42 non-statutory schemes including Smart City Mission, Housing for All and a range of infrastructure projects of the railways and highways. While the MPs are chairperson and co-chairperson of DISHA and the collector is the member-secretary, MLAs, members of NGOs and government officials comprise the regular members. The committee's role is to monitor the execution of approved projects and also has powers to look into complaints and alleged irregularities and order an inquiry.
"It's obvious," said North Chennai Lok Sabha member Kalanidhi Veeraswamy (DMK), when asked if the rival AIADMK was behind meetings not being held.
DISHA was constituted only in March 2020, with Dayanidhi Maran, senior most of the three Chennai MPs, as chairperson. While Maran said meeting could not be held due to Covid-19, Thamizhachi Thangapandian (Chennai South MP) could not be reached.
Refuting the charge that the AIADMK was behind meetings not being held, fisheries minister D Jayakumar said, "It is the responsibility of DMK MPs to initiate the meeting like AIADMK MPs did when they represented the three constituencies in Chennai."