'Should I Give The Money Like An Idiot?': Kangana Ranaut Tears Into Mandi Officials Over ₹11 Cr In Unused Funds

(MENAFN- Live Mint) BJP MP Kangana Ranaut lashed out at officials in Himachal Pradesh 's Mandi. In the video, the actor-politician can be seen accusing them of sitting on public money and allowing a backlog of development works to pile up despite repeated meetings and reviews.

Kangana Ranaut tears into Mandi officials over ₹11 crore fund backlog

Ranaut lost her patience during a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee, or DISHA, where she questioned officials over the pace at which funds linked to development projects in her parliamentary constituency were being utilised.

A video from the meeting, which has circulated widely online, captures the Mandi MP delivering an unusually sharp assessment of the administration's work culture.

“What is this behaviour? Ye show-sha kyun kar rahe hain aap log meetings karne ka? Aap logon ko ye kaam kuch karna hi nahi hai. It's become a bloody joke,” Ranaut said.

Her central complaint was the apparent delay in using funds meant for development works. Ranaut said around half of an allocation of ₹11 crore had still not been utilised, while questioning why projects from an earlier allocation cycle were continuing to remain pending.

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“Abhi bhi gyarah crore mein se half amount... half amount use nahi hua hai,” she said, before alleging that some beneficiaries or implementing agencies had received money but failed to carry out the work.

“You guys should put the pressure and take the public money back from them. Is it my scope of work? Sharm nahi aati kya tum logon ko?” she asked.

Ranaut's remarks reflect her frustration not simply with one delayed project but with what she described as a backlog that was making it increasingly difficult to move on to new development works.

“Even now, the funds that have been given to me, including my next year's MP fund allocation, which is still lying untouched, have to be allocated to those people. How am I supposed to do that? There is already a backlog. Am I supposed to keep handing out money like an idiot? Who is going to take care of this backlog?” she said.

She also challenged the officials present at the meeting over the manpower available to them, arguing that the remaining work could be completed much faster.“Itne saare log ho, mujhe bolo na, mujhe tumhara ek office mile na ek din ke liye, main ek-ek din mein kaam karke dikhaungi,” she said.

What is the DISHA mechanism?

The DISHA mechanism is specifically designed to bring elected representatives and district authorities together to monitor the implementation of Central government programmes and identify obstacles delaying development work. Government guidelines say district-level committees are expected to review programmes regularly and work towards timely implementation.

The dispute also touches on the larger system governing MPLADS funds. Under the scheme, MPs can recommend development works worth up to ₹5 crore annually, while district authorities and implementing agencies are responsible for carrying out the approved projects and monitoring their progress. The official guidelines place responsibility for coordination and supervision at the district level and allow action in cases involving serious delays, negligence or non-compliance.

Ranaut, however, appeared unconvinced that the existing review system was producing results.

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“What type of people are you all?” she asked officials, claiming that they had to be repeatedly pushed through letters from the Centre to complete their work.

She also referred to the growing criticism and memes surrounding her and development issues in the constituency, asking whether officials were simply sitting back despite the negative attention.

“If I were to reveal all this, how would it look? How would it reflect on us as people? You guys should put the pressure on them and take the public money back from them. Is it my scope of work? Aren't you people ashamed?” Ranaut said, warning that she could publicly discuss the administration's work culture at a national level.

Her outburst underlined an increasingly public confrontation between an elected representative demanding quicker delivery and officials responsible for translating sanctioned funds into work on the ground.

The officials targeted in the meeting had not publicly responded to Ranaut's allegations at the time of publication.

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