Union Minister of State for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal has sanctioned a substantial part of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund on educational facilities as well as beautification of the city, indicates a record of the expenditure of funds in the last five years.

With Rs 2 crore allotted annually to the parliamentarians for development purposes in their constituencies, Bansal has sanctioned funds for 172 works, of which 109 have been completed. For the remaining 63, the utilisation certificate is awaited.

The Panjab University has received a substantial part of the fund: Rs 1 crore for setting up of the H S Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Rs 10 lakh for starting a bus for students from the hostel to the library. Some amount was also channelised towards upgrading facilities in the AC Joshi Library.

Besides funds invested towards basketball courts in different schools, over Rs 10 lakh have been sanctioned for providing computers in the government schools particularly in villages.