Tamil Nadu: Rs 352 cr MLA fund released, guidelines issued for works

According to the GO, Rs 3 crore has been allotted to each MLA and for 2021-22. Each MLA will receive Rs 1.5 crore to spend on developmental works in their constituency. The fund, which was enhanced to Rs 3 crore in 2019, was scaled down to Rs 2 crore in 2020 owing to the spread of COVID-19 and now the limit has been revised to previous allocation of Rs 3 crore.

However, the key part of the order was the detailed guidelines issued by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in which the details of amount to be spent has been listed. According to the guidelines, an MLA has to spend at least 22 per cent of the fund for areas inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

“There is a greater need to develop areas inhabited by SCs and STs in order to give special attention for works costing at least 22 per cent of the MLACDS entitlement,” the GO stated.

The district officials are also directed to maintain information on implementation of the provision for SC/ST areas and also furnish details on a monthly basis to the state government.

Similarly, out of the total funds, 30 per cent should be earmarked for priority works such as infrastructure in primary and middle schools, government high and higher secondary schools, anganwadi and noon meal centres and repair of houses constructed under govt schemes upto March 31, 2000. The remaining 70 percentage of the fund, can be spent by MLA based on his choice, except the negative list, which includes construction of office and residential buildings for central and state governments including public sector undertaking, cooperatives and societies.