Shimlal: As per his promise made in the budget speech, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has released the first installment of the new financial year for the MLA’s Area Development Fund. However, on Thursday, the last day of the budget session, he said in the Vidhan Sabha that due to some financial problems, last year’s installment of the MLA fund is being stopped. It will not be available now. The present state government has released the first installment of more than Rs 82 crore to speed up the developmental works in the state. In this, Rs 34.29 crore has been allocated under MLA Local Area Development Fund, Rs 12.37 crore under Jan Sahyog Program in Development, Rs 2.20 crore under Mukhya Mantri Gram Path Yojana and Rs 26.19 crore under regional decentralized scheme for 10 districts of the state.
In addition, the tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi and Bharmour have been provided an additional Rs 5.62 crore under the MLA Development Fund and an additional Rs 2.07 crore under the Jan Sahyog Program in Development. The state government releases funds for development activities under these schemes in four quarters, which are spent in consultation with the local MLA of the assembly constituency.
Fund will be 2.10 crores
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Vikhu has announced to increase the MLA Local Area Development Fund to Rs 2.10 crore in the budget of the year 2023-24 and accordingly the first installment has been released. The discretionary fund of MLAs has also been increased in the budget to 13 lakhs and based on the suggestions received from the MLAs, the state government will issue new guidelines for MLA priority schemes.
