Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has increased the MLA Local Area Development Fund to Rs. 2.10 crore in the budget 2023-24, along with an increase in legislators’ discretionary grants to Rs. 13 lakh. The government will also introduce new guidelines for MLA priority schemes based on suggestions from MLAs.
The government recently released more than Rs. 82 crores for various development schemes in the state, which includes funds under the MLA Local Area Development Fund, Vikas Mein Jan Sahyog Program, Mukhyamantri Gram Path Yojna, and Sectoral Decentralized Planning for 10 districts. The tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi, and Bharmour have also been granted funds under the MLA Development Fund and Vikas Mein Jan Sahyog Program.
Funds are released in four quarters under these schemes and are spent in consultation with the local MLA of the assembly segment. Despite the previous government’s empty treasury, the Chief Minister has said that the present government is taking appropriate measures to improve the state’s economic health and speed up development in the state for the people’s benefit. The government has set a target of spending Rs. 10,000 crore in the current financial year for the development of the state.
