MLAs get Rs 50 lakh more for their areas

If things go according to plan, then the much-needed repair of your colony park or getting the streetlights fixed could be done with more ease now.

If things go according to plan, then the much-needed repair of your colony park or getting the streetlights fixed could be done with more ease now.

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The MLA local area development fund in the city has been increased by R50 lakh, taking the grand total to R2.5 crore for each constituency in the 2011-12 budget announcement by Delhi chief minister and finance minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday.

In addition, all the 70 MLAs will have R1 crore to spend on water and sewerage works in the city. All the 272 municipal councillors will also get R1.55 crore each to spend on their wards.

But the Capital's resident welfare associations (RWAs) were sceptical whether more funds would translate into more development in their areas.

"The MLA funds are nothing but a populist move. The purpose of such funds was to carry out immediate repair or emergency work in the area but is not used for them. The funds are being spent on works which are not required such as putting up fancy lights, constructing designer gates, etc. These funds are being used by the MLAs to advertise their names and nothing else. These funds should be done away with as has been done in Bihar as they just become a source of corruption," said Rajiv Kakaria, member of Greater Kailash I RWA.

Sources said even as funds are allocated for any developmental work, most MLAs are unable to exhaust the entire amount within one year.

"Most of them are unable to exhaust the entire amount in a year's time and the funds simply lapse. Also, we are not even consulted before the MLAs allocate funds for various schemes. Hence, projects that are more urgent are not even executed and money is wasted on works that are not required," said VK Arora, a resident of Krishna Nagar in East Delhi.

"They make no plans and even after getting funds, they are unable to spend it. The area where money can be spent is shrinking and we have right from the MPs, MLA and councillors all trying to spend their funds," said Gulshan Rai, secretary C2 block Janakpuri RWA.