Pb: AAP demands Local Area Development Fund for MLAs

Aam Aadmi Party today demanded that an allocation of Rs 3 crore be made annually to each Punjab MLA under a local area fund for carrying out developmental work in their constituencies.
Addressing the media here, AAP MLAs Aman Arora, H S Phoolka and others demanded that the state government pass the MLA Local Area Development Fund Bill 2017 in the coming Assembly session.
Arora said that the MLA Local Area Development Fund has been introduced in many states which is similar to that of MPLAD Fund introduced by Government of India in year 1993.
He demanded that Rs 3 crore per constituency must be provided in the state's budget every.

Arora said that MLAs from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Delhi were getting Rs 2-4 crore fund under the MLA Local Area Development Fund but the concept has not been implemented in Punjab.
He said that the Delhi Assembly had passed a bill to raise the amount to Rs 14 crore and the legislation was waiting Lieutenant General's nod.

Arora said that he has written a letter to the Speaker of Vidhan Sabha in this regard seeking permission to bring a private member bill in coming Assembly session.
He also requested the Congress, BJP and SAD to support the bill for the overall development of the state. He said that with passage of bill, the disparity in spending of funds in various constituencies will end.

Phoolka said that it was shocking no private member bill has been introduced in the Assembly in the last 15 years.
He said that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh used to accuse the previous government of step motherly treatment to the constituencies represented by members of opposition parties and now must avail the opportunity to establish a proper system.