Members demand enhancement of LAD Fund

BHUBANESWAR: Cutting across party lines, members on Thursday made a strong plea for enhancement of the local area development (LAD) fund keeping in view the soaring inflation and rising demands for infrastructure development in the constituencies.To a question of Ramesh Chandra Chaupatnaik and supplementaries from other members, Planning and Coordination Minister AU Singhdeo said the issue was under active consideration of the Government. “I will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister,” the Minister said.Senior BJD member Damodar Rout said the objective of LAD fund is to meet the critical gap between the State and the Central plan. The ` 1 crore provided to each of the legislators is not enough to meet the aspirations of the people with the skyrocketing prices of all commodities.Rout justified the demand for a hike in the LAD fund saying Parliament too increased the local area development fund for its members to ` 5 crore. Alleging that the MPLAD and MLALAD funds have created two parallel power centres in the Assembly segments, the former minister suggested that guidelines should be issued for better utilisation of the LAD fund with proper coordination between the MPs and MLAs.Anup Sai of the Congress urged the Minister to enhance the LAD fund to Rs 3 crore during the current session.Prasanta Nanda of the NCP alleged that the assistance provided to specific projects under LAD fund is not released in time due to delay in approval of the projects. He sought a direction from the Chair to the authorities concerned for timely decisions on the projects taken up with LAD funds.The Minister said information relating to the quantum of LAD funds in other states is being collected and the State Government will take a decision before the budget session of the Assembly.