Jairam complains MPs pushing for projects

NEW DELHI - Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar about MPs pushing for some projects, citing it as a serious issue of ethics.

Ramesh in his letter to Kumar earlier this week said that MPs approach him with matters of companies they are directly involved with, companies in other constituencies and in their own constituencies.

“The MPs should be dissuaded from meeting officials directly as such meetings were often used to put pressure on the ministry,” the letter said.

“The MPs approach me on behalf of the companies they run or with which they are closely associated. This is a blatant violation of norms. I have tried to discourage this but have not entirely succeeded,” it said.

Ramesh said he also finds objectionable when MPs approach him pleading for or against projects that are neither in their state, nor in their constituency.

He said he has no objections over representations from MPs regarding projects in their constituencies but he requested the speaker to take note of the other two categories of MPs as serious ethics issued are involved.