Govt to provide Rs 5 crore annually for development in each constituency

The Punjab Government on Thursday announced the Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme, wherein a sum of Rs 5 crore will be provided every year for carrying out development works in each of the 117 Assembly constituencies in the state.

The scheme, approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting chaired by CM Bhagwant Mann, is similar to the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) of the Centre.

MLAs of the ruling AAP had been demanding that they be allocated funds for carrying out development in their respective constituencies.

With the Assembly elections around two years away and the MLAs getting restive over lack of tangible infrastructure projects to showcase, the government has decided to introduce this scheme.

The money under the scheme can be used for creating public assets, purchasing moveable public assets like computers or other equipment for schools or hospitals and infrastructure development.

The scheme seems to be on the lines of the Punjab Nirman Scheme introduced by the Congress while it was in power (2002-2007 and 2017-2022). The scheme was introduced at the fag end of the government’s tenure on both those occasions. It was originally the brainchild of former Finance Minister Surinder Singla and was first introduced in 2006. During the last term of the Congress government, it was introduced during the Capt Amarinder Singh’s tenure as CM in 2021. At that time, Rs 1,100 crore was set aside for the 117 constituencies. However, Capt Amarinder resigned before the scheme could be rolled out.

Under the AAP government, a sum of Rs 585 crore has been set aside for the scheme. The money would be disbursed from the Consolidated Fund of the state. The fund would be administered by the deputy commissioners and spent based on the recommendations of MLAs, community organisations, citizen groups and public spirited citizens.

The approval for carrying out various works would be given by district-level committees constituted under the DCs, with concurrence of the minister in-charge for the district.

During the recently held Budget session, the government had informed the House about the scheme. The Opposition MLAs were assured by the CM that they would have a say in the utilisation of funds in their constituencies.

Other decisions

Third party certification/ self-certification for approval of buildings plans of factories

Forming an appellate authority for cancelled plots of Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC)

Manakpura, Khera Gajju, Urna, Changeera, Uccha Khera, Gurditpura, Haripura and Lehlan villages to be transferred from sub-division/tehsil Rajpura (Patiala) to Banur (Mohali)

Punjab