With focus on water, Gujarat hikes MLA development fund by Rs 1 crore to Rs 2.5 crore a year

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has increased the annual MLA local area development fund to Rs 2.5 crore from the existing Rs 1.5 crore.

Half of the additional allocation must be spent on water conservation, an official release said on Wednesday.

“The chief minister has significantly increased the grant allocated to the MLAs for the development and to further enhance the established identity of Gujarat as a role model of development,” it said.

The existing annual grant of Rs 1.5 crore allocated to the members of legislative assembly (MLAs) for local area development has been increased by Rs 1 crore, it said.

The additional funds have been earmarked with a focus on the Centre’s ‘Catch the Rain’ initiative for the collection and storage of rainwater, the release said.

“MLAs will have to carry out works worth Rs 50 lakh from this additional grant for the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for water conservation and rainwater harvesting,” it said.

To ensure future water security through rainwater harvesting and raise the groundwater level, the state has been organising the ‘Sujalam Suphalam Jal Abhiyan’ every year since 2018.

“Under this campaign, various water conservation activities such as pond deepening, desilting of check dams, repair, maintenance and cleaning of canals, construction of earthen embankments, and rainwater harvesting are being carried out with public participation,” said the release.

Due to this campaign, water storage capacity has increased by 1,19,144 lakh cubic feet in the last 7 years and 199.6 lakh man-days of employment have been generated, it said.

PM Modi has called upon the citizens to participate in the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign this year to collect and conserve water drop by drop.

“Taking this call seriously, the state MLAs should also organise more and more rainwater harvesting works in their constituencies,” it added.