Darjeeling, June 8: The chairman of a parliamentary panel auditing the utilisation of MPs’ local area development funds has sought suggestions from the Bengal government officials for future schemes in Darjeeling.

“The officials would have a better understanding of the new schemes that are required for the region than us,” said Prasanna Acharya, a Biju Janata Dal MP from Orissa and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development fund).

A 15-member team today visited four project sites in and around Darjeeling aided by the MPLAD to review their progress and implementation.

“This is part of the state-wide review we are carrying out to find how the funds are being utilised. We will be submitting our report to Parliament within a few months,” said Acharya, who arrived here with the rest of the team yesterday evening.

The team, which includes seven officials, visited Batasia, where a war memorial has been built with the funds.

The convoy of seven vehicles also meandered through the hilly roads to visit Sinchel Primary School at Tiger Hill, Tribal Girls’ Hostel near Singmari and Sardeswari Girls’ School — all built with assistance from the (Dawa Narbula’s) Darjeeling MP’s funds.

“We will be going to Mungpoo tomorrow to see the cinchona plantation there,” Acharya said.

The team will also be holding a meeting with officials of the state government at the hotel where it has put up.

“The meeting will complete the review of all the projects in the constituency and take stock of the progress in the ongoing ones,” Acharya added.

The chairman stressed that “central government funds must be utilised properly and timely”.

Regarding the official letter asking liaison officers to carry MPs’ luggage, Acharya said the news “was incorrect”. He said the official letter did not mention that the luggage had to be carried by the officers.

Pointing to some tea packets he was carrying, Acharya smiled and said: “See, I’m carrying my own luggage.”