NCP chief demands doing away with MLA scheme

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 26, 2021

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state chief and Gambegre legislator Saleng A Sangma on Wednesday said he would demand the state government to do away with the MLA scheme during the upcoming Assembly’s autumn session.

“I might bring a zero hour notice or maybe something like that (demanding) to do away with the MLA scheme as it is so irritating and frustrating because we are becoming prisoners of our own device,” Sangma told reporters.

He said that the government is sanctioning only Rs 2.5 crore for MLA scheme which is impossible to meet the high expectation of the people.

“For example in my constituency, I have got nearly 400 colonies and for these can you imagine this Rs 2.5 crore will be enough,” he asked.

Stating that he wanted to change people’s perception, the NCP leader said, “Therefore, you do away with this MLA scheme or otherwise increase it as with this Rs 2.5 crore you cannot satisfy everybody.”

He further termed the MLA scheme as a curse for public representatives.

“…people will say give me money for the delivery, for admission, for schooling, for hospitalization – everything. How will you entertain each and everybody with only Rs 2.5 crore. Rs 2.5 crore is a curse for us,” Sangma stated.

The MLA said by doing away with the scheme, this will change people’s perception.

“…especially the voters will think 100 times to vote because without MLA scheme, you cannot just break into anybody’s house and ask for money as if it is their legitimate right…they (people) think this MLA scheme is their legitimate right and that they should get it but whereas this MLA scheme was given to fill up the gap where the road is bad, football field is required where the road connection is bad etc but people think that it is their legitimate right or birth right that it should be given to them personally,” he said.

“All the money goes to them and all the blame comes to us that this is the MLA who eats the money so I want to change the culture and the perception,” he added.

Asked, the Gambegre legislator said if at all the government should increase the MLA scheme, it should be done in accordance with area or population ratio.