NEW DELHI: Execution of work under the MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) scheme is turning into a matter of contention between the AAP government and the BJP-controlled civic bodies, with the latter insisting on legislators seeking permission from the local councillors for it.
Last Tuesday, the Delhi assembly adopted a resolution directing the municipal corporations not to insist on ‘no objection certificates’ before carrying out development works executed through the MLALAD fund. It also resolved that no such work should be stopped for want of any approval or consent of the standing committee or House of the three municipal corporations.
The move followed a resolution passed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in September this year stating that no work under the MLALAD scheme shall be executed without the knowledge and prior approval of the municipal councillor concerned.
This invited the ire of the Aam Aadmi Party government, which wrote to the commissioner of the North MCD stating that the move would create “unwarranted hurdles” in implementation of developmental works.
The East and South civic bodies are following the North MCD in this matter. The North MCD has a large area under its jurisdiction, covering 26 assembly constituencies, including those of health minister Satyendar Jain (from Shakur Basti) and food minister Imran Hussain (from Ballimaran), and Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta (Rohini). Each assembly constituency has three to seven municipal wards.
“The MLAs get a fund of `10 crore, but they are misusing it. We have observed that in many areas, first road laying work is done by their department, then two months later, sewer laying work is done, and for that the same road is dug up, and the road is relaid, which could have been done in a more planned way. The AAP MLAs are misusing funds and this will put a stop to it,” said Jai Prakash, chairman of the North MCD standing committee.
“Their claim that funds are being misused is a lie,” said AAP’s Jitender Singh Tomar, former cabinet minister and MLA from Tri Nagar, which falls under North MCD.
Principal Secretary Manisha Saxena wrote in a letter to the North MCD, dated November 28: “It is stated that the resolution passed by the North MCD does not seem to be in public interest as it puts unwarranted hurdles in the way of time-bound implementation of developmental works under MLALAD scheme.”
Bhupendar Gupta, chairman of the standing committee of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, said,
“As per the rule, if any municipal councillor wants to get work done outside his area, he has to take permission from the MLA. We have just done the same thing. The Assembly can pass whatever resolution they want, our stand remains the same.”