MLAs can’t claim credit for projects in pipeline

NEW DELHI: Members of the fifth Delhi assembly, which was elected in December 2013, are an unfortunate lot. They neither got the time nor funds to carry out development work in the city. And now with the assembly being dissolved, these 70 MLAs—a majority of them first-timers—are worried about the future of a few projects they sanctioned in the last four months.

With the assembly likely to be dissolved soon, most of the MLAs are hoping to contest elections again. Unlike the usual practice of inaugurating development projects just before the code of conduct is announced, these MLAs won't be able to take credit for the work done.

Soon after being elected, MLAs didn't get the funds to carry out development work as the then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal decided to scrap the MLA local area development fund worth Rs 4 crore. Though the central government restored the fund, it was released only in July. In the last four months, a majority of MLAs have exhausted the funds, but work on projects in yet to start.

The biggest worry of the MLAs is that now they can't 'officially' monitor the progress of the projects sanctioned by them once President Pranab Mukherjee approves dissolution of the assembly. "Though work on some projects has started, there are many which are stuck in various stages of approval process. We have spent the entire development fund, now the Delhi administration has to ensure that the projects start so that people don't suffer," said Mahinder Nagpal, BJP MLA from Wazirpur.

All MLAs, irrespective of their political affiliations, are concerned. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which discontinued MLALAD fund, too is concerned about the development projects sanctioned by its MLAs as they held public meetings to finalize the list. "There has been no development in the city for the past one year. People have been deprived of basic services. It is a serious cause of concern for us,'' said Satyender Jain, AAP MLA from Shakur Basti.

Jain blames BJP for lack of development in Delhi. "Their stand on government formation has not changed in the last one year. Had they clarified their stand earlier, Delhi would have got a new government by now. They have derailed development work in Delhi," Jain added.

While AAP blames BJP for the mess, Congress accuses both AAP and BJP for lack of development. "BJP and AAP have made people suffer. Nothing has changed since we (Congress) left power. Things have just gone from bad to worse. People are deprived of basic benefits of schemes started by our government. No new development project has started and MLAs have not been able to use the funds for development work. BJP could have resolved the crisis long back, but they didn't do it as they were not confident of winning," said Congress MLA Haroon Yusuf.