11 Ex-MPs to repay laptop loans

Repeated reminders sent from Information Technology Department takes no effect

As many as 11 former Members of Parliament (MPs) who took loans from the State Government to purchase laptops under a special scheme way back in 2001 are yet to repay them despite repeated reminders from Information Technology Department. According to official sources, the Telugu Desam Party Government suggested to the elected representatives to buy laptops and alloted Rs. 1.50 lakh to each of the 25 MPs. Under the scheme, fifty percent was loan component while the rest was a grant. They were supposed to repay the amount in 24 equal monthly installments at an interest rate of 8.5 percent per year.

After repeated verbal requests, seven MPs cleared the loans while the remaining are yet to repay the same. While six of them are from Rajya Sabha members, the remaining were Lok Sabha members.

The Information Technology department wrote the first letter in January 2003 reminding the former MPs of the dues. As there was no response, the department wrote three more letters but even this failed to move the former MPs. A week ago, the department also wrote another letter to the MPs reminding of the same. The Secretary (IT&C) Suresh Chandra said that they are following up the matter and will write to them again.

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