MLAs to have major say in development of constituencies
*Deptts to execute projects, legislators to monitor
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 7: The MLAs will have major say in developmental works in their Assembly constituencies as they have been asked by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds charge of the Finance Department to identify works worth Rs 30 to 40 crore in their segments to be executed during upcoming financial year of 2025-26 which will have budgetary backing.
The MLAs got the message from their concerned Deputy Commissioners.
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Sources told the Excelsior that the legislators have been asked to prioritise the works before submitting them to the Deputy Commissioners who, in turn, will forward proposals to the Finance Department for their inclusion in the budgetary proposals. Once the works have budgetary backing, their execution will become certain, they said, adding the Omar Abdullah Government plans to make it a routine every year.
“This will give major say to the MLAs as the works identified by them for execution in their Assembly constituencies will be taken up as during previous regimes, the legislators had to approach the Deputy Commissioners, who also act as the District Development Commissioners (DDCs), to include development works in the plan. Some of the works were included while others were ignored. Even the works included in the plan were sometimes not executed,’’ the sources said.
The budgetary backing will ensure that the works identified by the MLAs in their constituencies are taken up and completed.
Sources, however, said that the MLAs will only identify while the works will be taken up by the concerned departments. The MLAs will monitor the works, review their progress from time-to-time, ensure that quality work is being done and see to it that the works are completed within the given timelines.
“Works which are not completed in one of the financial years will be rolled over to next year,’’ the sources said.
If every Assembly segment gets Rs 40 crore for development in a year, 90 constituencies will have Rs 3600 crore for the works in different sectors.
Sources clarified that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of the MLAs which is yet to be announced will remain untouched from the new proposal of identification of priority works by the legislators.
When the last Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved in 2018, the MLAs had annual CDF of Rs 3 crore. However, even after a little over three and half month of the new Government, the CDF for MLAs is yet to be announced. It could be either Rs 3 crore per annum or more. However, the details about CDF and its guidelines are expected to be announced by the Government in the budget which will be presented by the Chief Minister in the Assembly session beginning March 3.
“The MLAs have discretion over spending the CDF after following guidelines released by the Government,’’ the sources pointed out.
Most of the legislators to whom the Excelsior spoke have hailed new proposal of the Government to get works identified from them for execution in their constituencies. Further, they said, backing of the works with the budget is a clear sign that the works will be completed. They expressed confidence that the process will continue and every year the Government will ask them to identify works to be taken up for development in their Assembly constituencies.
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