Fighting Covid-19: UP allows use of MLA fund

LIKE MPS UP can use fund available for lawmakers to purchase face masks, sanitisers, infrared thermometers, hazmat suits & protection kits

LUCKNOW : Three days after the Centre allowed use of the MP’s local area development (MPLAD) fund for fighting Covid-19, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh also accepted the growing demand for lawmakers to allow use of the MLAs’ Local Area Development fund (Vidhayak Nidhi) in the fight against the virus.

The state’s rural development department issued an order that now allows one-time use of the fund available for lawmakers for the purchase of face masks, sanitisers, infra-red thermometers (non-contact), hazmat suits and protection kits, thermal imaging scanners, besides other health care essentials prescribed by the ministry of health and family welfare for use in fighting Covid-19.

Lawmakers in UP, so far, could spend up to Rs 20 million (Rs 2 crore) per annum through their fund. From the next fiscal, they would be entitled to spend Rs 30 million (Rs 3 crore), per annum.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders have made the maximum contributions through the vidhyak nidhi, pledging nearly Rs 50 million (Rs 5 crore). But the ruling BJP could overtake the principal opposition party as, after the government’s decision to increase the scope of the MLA fund, all 56 ministers and lawmakers too plan to pitch in.

“It’s not about the government or the opposition. That’s why I would expect all the 403 lawmakers, and the MLCs in the state, besides all the 80 Lok Sabha members (from the state) and the

Rajya Sabha MPs, to make contributions,” said Athar Siddiqui of the Centre for Objective Research and Development.

UP’s healthcare providers, like in most parts of the country, admit that the present healthcare infrastructure is ill-equipped to deal with Covid-19, if the community transmission spreads uncontrollably. “We need masks, sanitisers, thermal scanners (noncontact) for sure. It’s a great relief

if the lawmakers are pitching in with help. The rules have been accordingly amended,” a senior healthcare official said.

The union ministry statistics and programme implementation (MPLADS division) had on March 24 also allowed MPs to use their MPLAD in the battle against the virus.By Thursday, an estimated half-a-dozen ministers, several lawmakers, including many from the opposition parties, had written to district magistrates and chief development officers (CDOs), sanctioning funds from their ‘vidhayak nidhi’. SP Akhilesh Yadav has, like deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and energy minister Shrikant Sharma, pledged Rs 10 million and the month’s salary. Congress legislature party leader Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ has pledged Rs 1 million. SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav has pledged Rs 2.5 million. The Yogi Adityanath government reacted quickly to growing demands for changing the rules of the ‘vidhayak nidhi’ by directing all district magistrates to allow its use for procuring, masks, gloves and sanitisers. Manoj Kumar Singh, principal secretary, rural development, on Thursday issued an order to all district magistrates, okaying an increase in the scope of the MLA fund.During the last day of the UP assembly’s budget session, speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit had also advocated the need for a revision of items allowed under the ‘vidhayak nidhi’. On the speaker’s suggestion, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had proposed an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. UP minister Neelkanth Tiwari, who was among the first to sanction Rs 33 lakh (Rs 3.3 million) from his vidhayak nidhi for procuring equipment at the Institute of Medical ScienceBanaras Hindu University, welcomed the government move.

“I had already pledged a month’s salary, along with ₹25 lakh from my fund,” said the state’s basic education minister Satish Dwivedi. BSP MP Ritesh Pandey has pitched in with monetary help of Rs 5 million through his MP-LAD fund.