Mumbai: With the upcoming local body elections in sight, the Maharashtra government has approved a fund of Rs 270 crore for development works in the constituencies of 54 ruling alliance (Mahayuti) MLAs. Each MLA will receive Rs 5 crore for projects in their respective areas, according to a government resolution issued by the Planning Department.
The move is seen as part of the Mahayuti government’s efforts to strengthen its position ahead of the local elections. Until now, funds were being distributed through the Rural Development Department for Zilla Parishads and through the Urban Development Department for municipal corporations and councils. After providing financial support for special urban schemes, the government has now shifted its focus to the MLAs.
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Since the formation of the current government, ruling alliance legislators have been demanding increased funds for local development. Initially, there was a proposal to allocate Rs 10 crore per MLA, but due to financial pressure from schemes like “Chief Minister Majhi Laadki Bahin” and the impact of heavy rains, the amount was reduced.
The decision to provide Rs 5 crore only to newly elected MLAs has caused dissatisfaction among other ruling members. Several of them have approached the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers requesting additional funds. To address this discontent, the government has decided to release pending development funds and may approve an additional Rs 2 to 2.5 crore per MLA soon, according to report by Loksatta.
Last week, the Urban Development Department sanctioned Rs 509 crore for municipal bodies, including Rs 63 crore for Nagpur district and Rs 175 crore for Thane district, the home constituencies of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde respectively.
This latest fund approval indicates that the Mahayuti government is focusing its attention on ensuring development visibility and voter confidence before the crucial local body elections.
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