AAP hikes MLA fund by 50% to ₹15 cr

AHEAD of the assembly election, the Delhi government on Thursday raised the annual MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund by 50 per cent hiking the current amount from Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore.

Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Atishi claimed that the MLA-LAD in Delhi was the highest in the country. "The Delhi Cabinet has made a significant decision by increasing the MLA Fund from Rs 10 crores per year to Rs 15 crores per year. No other state in the country provides such a large MLA Fund as Delhi which is three times more than other states," she said.

Highlighting comparisons with other states, the CM noted that Gujarat allocates Rs 1.5 crores per constituency, while states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka provide Rs 2 crores. "Even larger states such as Maharashtra, Kerala, and Rajasthan allocate only Rs 5 crores, making Delhi's Rs 15 crores the most significant in the country," she said.

Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj elaborated on the rationale behind the increase, particularly in light of the damage caused by this year's heavy rains.