By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress leader Oscar Fernandes Tuesday said all the MPs should use their Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds for building infrastructure for welfare of children.
Addressing a campaign to address the issue of malnutrition, the MP said both MPLAD funds and corporate contribution together can help create required infrastructure for fighting malnutrition.
“Every member of parliament has Rs.5 crore per annum at his disposal. If they need they can use it for building infrastructure,” he said.
Fernandes added: “Any corporate body or institution can provide assistance for growth and education of children. They can divert the money from income tax for the welfare children. Like institutions give for sports, I would prefer it be given for children.”
He also said the government has been coming out with good schemes. “It is not that we have not grappled with the situation. We have great task to perform,” he said.
“Crores of children are given mid-day meals. Very soon we will pass the food security bill in parliament, which will ensure that the poor don’t starve,” he added.
According to NGO World Vision India, one in 13 children dies before their fifth birthday and an Indian woman dies every five minutes from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
India alone accounts for almost a fifth of all maternal deaths globally, with a maternal mortality ratio of 200 per 100,000 live births in 2010.