The government is using its poor financial position to cut the purse strings of MLAs and their aides, in a move aimed at keeping Opposition legislators out of the development pie.
The government has decided to scrap the Rs 90 lakh given to each mandal for its development. In practice, the money is given to the panchayat raj department. Local legislators and their groupies then recommend work in their constituencies, and take credit for it.
Each Assembly constituency has on average four mandals, meaning each legislator could play around with at least Rs 3.6 crore. It was all fine in the previous Assembly, where the Congress had a massive majority: Most of the credit for the work at the local level went to the ruling party. This time, however, the Opposition strength is 130. Meaning, Opposition MLAs will have crores of government money to spend and garner publicity.
“Why should we spend the money and give credit to the others,” a minister said. The decision to cut the fund was taken by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S Rajasekhar Reddy, who has been been reviewing the financial position almost daily with the finance minister, Mr K. Rosaiah.
Even last year the government did not allot almost Rs 150 crore for the Assembly Constituency Development Fund covering all 294 seats. Instead, it allotted Rs 90 lakh for each mandal and paid out Rs 980 crore. But that was done with an eye on the elections this year. Even here, bills pertaining to works taken up already amounting to Rs 550 crore were not cleared.
“Unless revenues are improved, we cannot allot funds,” said a minister.
The government has decided to scrap the Rs 90 lakh given to each mandal for its development. In practice, the money is given to the panchayat raj department. Local legislators and their groupies then recommend work in their constituencies, and take credit for it.
Each Assembly constituency has on average four mandals, meaning each legislator could play around with at least Rs 3.6 crore. It was all fine in the previous Assembly, where the Congress had a massive majority: Most of the credit for the work at the local level went to the ruling party. This time, however, the Opposition strength is 130. Meaning, Opposition MLAs will have crores of government money to spend and garner publicity.
“Why should we spend the money and give credit to the others,” a minister said. The decision to cut the fund was taken by the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S Rajasekhar Reddy, who has been been reviewing the financial position almost daily with the finance minister, Mr K. Rosaiah.
Even last year the government did not allot almost Rs 150 crore for the Assembly Constituency Development Fund covering all 294 seats. Instead, it allotted Rs 90 lakh for each mandal and paid out Rs 980 crore. But that was done with an eye on the elections this year. Even here, bills pertaining to works taken up already amounting to Rs 550 crore were not cleared.
“Unless revenues are improved, we cannot allot funds,” said a minister.
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