People from Jammu & Kashmir were full of praise for cricket icon and nominated Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar for sanctioning Rs 40 lakh from his local area development funds to reconstruct a dilapidated school building at Drugmulla, in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, too, tweeted her appreciation: “Thankful to @sachin_rt for using his MPLAD funds for the construction of a school building in Kashmir. Even off the field, he continues to inspire us all.”

Thankful to @sachin_rt for using his MPLAD funds for the contruction of a school building in Kashmir. Even off the field, he continues to inspire us all.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 30, 2018

Tendulkar, in a letter to the district magistrate, mentioned that the Imperial Educational Institute at Drugmulla, established in 2007, had requested funds and “the request must be scrutinized”.

An elected Lok Sabha MP can spend Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds only in his or her constituency and an elected RS MP anywhere in the state from which elected. But a nominated RS MP can spend MPLAD funds anywhere across India.

The institute is the only school in Drugmulla, is co-ed, and currently has 1,000 students across Classes 1 to 10 and about 50 teachers. The girls outnumber the boys at the school. The description of work requested included construction of a school building with 10 classrooms, four laboratories, an administrative block, six toilets and an assembly/prayer hall.

Tendulkar has so far funded school and educational institute projects worth Rs 7.4 crore through the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD).

The institute is the only school in Drugmulla, is co-ed, and currently has 1,000 students across Classes 1 to 10 and about 50 teachers. The girls outnumber the boys at the school. The description of work requested included construction of a school building with 10 classrooms, four laboratories, an administrative block, six toilets and an assembly/prayer hall.

Tendulkar has so far funded school and educational institute projects worth Rs 7.4 crore through the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD).