Eyeing the coming municipal polls in the national Capital next year, the AAP Government is planning to spend Rs700 crore through MlAs funds to improve conditions of roads, streetlights, construction of community halls, underpass, subway, footpath in the colonies across the city.
This expenditure will be one time release of funds by the Government in the current fiscal year. This means the AAP Government is reportedly in the process of bringing in a proposal before the Cabinet to provide an additional one-time allocation of Rs10 crore to each MlA for carrying out developmental activities in their respective constituencies.
According to officials, Rs280 crore meant for MlA local Area Development (lAD) funds has been already disbursed by the AAP Government and this Rs700 crore would be in addition to that.
Top sources told The Pioneer that the decision has been taken by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to this effect, who directed Urban Development Department to bring a proposal before the Cabinet meeting. It is understood that the new proposal is being drafted after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a note to the Urban Development Minister on August 31 had observed that the condition of civil works in Delhi colonies was very pathetic. He had stated that the people of these colonies were looking towards elected Government for carrying out construction/maintenance works related to streets, parks, footpaths, street lights as early as possible.
Municipal corporations have also failed for effectively carrying out such works for want of adequate funds. If Delhi Cabinet decides to increase Rs10 crore additional to each MlA, this would be highest in the country.
Currently, each of the 70 MlAs are entitled to an annual fund of Rs4 crore under the MlA lAD scheme to carry out developmental works. As far as Parliamentarians are concerned, each can spent an amount of Rs5 crore every year on developmental works. The MlA funds are being spent through newly created District Urban Development Authority (DUDA) in Delhi.
“The Government has decided to enhance one time MlA funds as the expenditure on plan head was less than 17 per cent till July end this year,” the sources said. “ Once the new proposal is cleared by the Cabinet, each MlA can spend an additional amount of Rs10 crore on other developmental activities in their respective Assembly seats. And once projects are executed, the MlAs are bound to submit the fund utilisation certificates issued by the agencies concerned to the Urban Development Department,” sources said.
A senior officer said, “The Deputy Chief Minister has also ensured that the Finance Department can make necessary arrangement of funds and the same may be approved at revised Budget estimate by the Government. Sisodia had also observed that public needed the area MlA for carrying out different development works.
He had said only some of these works could be undertaken as only Rs4 crore was released under MlA lAD scheme to each MlA.
It is noted that the MlA fund scheme was started in 1994-95 when the fund under the scheme was Rs1 crore per MlA per year. After gaining some experience the Delhi Government had decided to revise the scheme and increase the fund to Rs1.40 crore per MlA per year 1999-2000.
From the financial year 2000-01 the limit of Rs1.40 crore has been raised to Rs1.90 crore per MlA. And from 2004-05, the limit has been further increased to Rs2.00 crore in 2011-12 the limit has been further increased to Rs4 crore.
Under this scheme of “Strengthening and Augmentation of Infrastructure facilities in each Assembly Constituency”, commonly known as MlAlAD’s each MlA can suggest small works of capital nature to be done in their constituencies up to the tune of Rs4.00 crore in a year with each individual project not exceeding Rs2 crore.