GUWAHATI, March 12 � The Opposition today made a strong pitch for effecting a hike in the MLA Local Area Development fund to Rs 2 crore from the existing Rs 40 lakh.
Raising the resolution in the Assembly, Mohibul Haque (associated Congress member) sought to justify the demand, saying that Rs 40 lakh was too meagre a sum given the plethora of complex developmental problems in the constituencies. He also said that in most other States, including several from the North-East, the MLALAD fund ranged from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 2 crore.
Haque also called for simplification of the procedures for utilization of the funds, as it often stayed unused due to the complex and lengthy administrative procedures.
Ramendra Narayan Kalita (AGP) and Dr Aditya Langthasa (AUDF) also spoke in support of the move.
Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai deferred the Government�s reply to the next sitting of the Assembly on March 15.
