DEHRADUN: The next assembly elections in Uttarakhand are due in less than six months but many of the current MLAs are yet to fully utilise their MLALAD (Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development) funds.
Among the state cabinet members, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami happens to utilise the least amount, revealed an RTI query. Dhami had utilised only 69% of the funds for development projects in his constituency.
In all, the state MLAs have been able to spent 77% of the MLALAD funds till September, revealed the RTI reply. Nadimuddin, an advocate and activist who filed the RTI query, said, “These funds are taxpayers’ money meant for people’s welfare. Our elected representatives have a duty towards their electorate. They should try their best to utilise the funds for development works.”
Maximum utilisation among ministers was by Bansidhar Bhagat (87%) followed by Swami Yatishwaranand (81%) and Ganesh Joshi and Bishan Singh Chuphal (both 81%). Yashpal Arya, who was cabinet member till earlier this month before he quit and joined the Congrsess, was able to utilise 71% of his MLA funds, according to the data provided by the state rural development department in response to the RTI query.
Maximum utilisation of funds, 90%, was by Sanjiv Arya and minimum by Congress MLA from Kedarnath Manoj Rawat.