Delhi government to continue MLA local area development scheme

Delhi government has decided to continue the MLA local area development (MLALAD) scheme that entitles every MLA to Rs 4 crore annually for development work in his constituency.

According to official sources, provisions for MLA funds entitling each MLAs Rs 2 crore as per the scheme for six months will be laid down in the Delhi government's Vote on Account that will be placed before Parliament tomorrow.

The Vote on Account Bill 2014-15 has to be placed before Parliament for its consideration as tomorrow is the last day of the current session.

The Arvind Kejriwal government earlier had announced scrapping of MLA funds citing misuse of money and had said that the money would be routed through the mohalla sabha's across the city.

Kejriwal wanted to bring the Delhi Swaraj (self-rule) Bill 2014 under which these sabhas would have directly received funds from the government, and use them according to the needs and wants of the mohalla, or the locality.

However, the Delhi Swaraj (self-rule) Bill 2014 could not be passed in the Delhi legislative assembly after Kejriwal resigned from his chief minister's post as Jan Lokpal Bill could not introduced in the assembly following stiff opposition from BJP and Congress.

"However as the Swaraj Bill could not be passed in the assembly and the AAP-led government also fell, so it has been decided that the (MLALAD) scheme will continue," said a senior official.