MLAs would be allowed to spend Rs 3 crore on work of their choice in their constituency: Minister Duraimurugan

CHENNAI: The state government on Wednesday announced that MLAs would be allowed to spend Rs 3 crore under the Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme (MLACDS) without any restriction on priority works and reduction owing to GST.

Replying to the demands made by the MLAs cutting across the party lines during the debate on the demands for grants for the Legislative Assembly, Water Resources Minister and Leader of the House Duraimurugan said that the chief minister has given his approval on the legislator's request to increase the MLACDS fund allocation.

As of now, out of the Rs 3 crore, Rs 2 crore would be utilised by the legislators for any work of their choice in the constituency while Rs 1 crore would be earmarked for priority works.

"Now the chief minister has accepted the MLAs' demands and allowed them to utilise all the Rs 3 crore for sanctioning the works of their choice, " he said, jokingly noting that the fund was not meant for their expenditure but for their constituency.

He also said that there would not be any deduction of GST from it as the members lamented that nearly Rs 54 lakh is deducted as tax. On the demand for increasing the medical allowance for the former MLAs, he said that the chief minister has assured to consider the demand.

MLAs including S Rajakumar (Congress), SP Venkateshwaran (PMK), Ka So Ka Kannan (DMK) and E Karunanidhi (DMK) demanded the government to increase the MLACDS from Rs 3 crore to Rs 4-Rs 5 crore and also sought a hike in the pension and medical allowances for former MLAs.

Venkateshwaran also demanded that the salary of legislators should be increased to Rs 2 lakh per month.