Naveen under fire for not raising MLA LAD fund limit

Bhubaneswar, Mar 22 (UNI) The Opposition today came down heavily on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for taking the MLAs and the State Assembly for a ride in not implementing his promise to enhance the MLA LAD fund by Rs 25 lakh.

The issue was raised during zero hours by members cutting across party lines who made a vociferous attack on the Chief Minister for not keeping his promise.

While the Opposition made the Chief Minister their target, the members from the Treasury Bench put the blame on the bureaucrats for not carrying out the announcement of the Chief Minister on raising the MLA LAD fund limit by Rs 25 lakh.

Raising the issue, Congress member Nalinikanta Mohanty and Orissa Gana Parishad member Arun De urged the Deputy Speaker to call the files relating to the order issued by the Chief Minister in this regard.

Mr De said although both Ministers of Planning and Coordination and Finance had agreed to enhance the MLA LAD fund, the Development Commissioner opposed it and finally the Chief Minister, who had announced in the House to raise the limit, approved the note of the Development Commissioner.

Stating that the Chief Minister had cheated the MLAs, Congress member Umesh Swain demanded that the former should tender apology for not keeping his promise in the House.

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