Hyderabad: As ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and veteran actor Rekha end their term as Rajya Sabha MPs this April, here is a look at their report card. Tendulkar has an attendance percentage of 7 per cent, while Rekha has a much lower presence in the house with 4.3 per cent. The two have the least attendance in comparison with 12 others nominated.
However, the actor drew a salary totalling Rs 1.07 crore, which is higher than Tendulkar’s Rs 90.97 lakh, over the 6 year-period since they were nominated (The difference in the allowance granted). Both have participated in ‘zero’ debates, though Sachin has managed to ask 22 questions in the house, while Rekha scores a zero, again.
The duo were nominated in April 2012 as members of the Upper House by the President based on the advice of the erstwhile Congress government, and their 6-year tenure ends in less than four days. Actor-politician Chiranjeevi’s term ended in early April-2018.
Both Tendulkar and Rekha have given Rs 5 crore each every annum and the total entitlement under Member of Parliament - Local Area development funds (MP-LAD) amounts to Rs 30 crore each. The MPs are entitled to recommend work which will be sanctioned, executed and completed by the district collector under MP-LAD scheme.
Out of Rs 30 crore, Rekha has recommended works worth Rs 24.24 crore (while Rs 5.76 crore, equal to a year’s MP-LAD, remained unused), while sportsman Sachin recommended Rs 30.39 crore more than the entitled amount.
Mr D. Rakesh Reddy, Founder of Factly - Public Information portal (the individual has kept a track on the attendance of RS members) said, “Rekha has not asked a single question in the house or participated in any debates in her nearly six years in the Rajya Sabha. Tendulkar fared better by asking 22 questions. Rekha, however, isn’t alone other nominated members Anu Aga (industrialist), K. Parasaram (lawyer), M.C. Mary Kom (Sportsperson), Narendra Jadhav (economist), Roopa Ganguly (actress), Suresh Gopi (actor) and Swapan Das Gupta (journalist ) have asked zero questions. However, they all have benefited from the salary and allowance.
Along with Rekha and Tendulkar, Ms Aga, who was nominated at the same time 27th April 2012, will be retiring towards the end of April.
