MLA funds to be used to vaccinate 18+ age category: Rajasthan government

JAIPUR: The state government will use a part of the MLA local area development fund (increased to Rs 5 crore per annum recently) and district mineral development fund to finance the inoculation of people in the age group of 18-45 years who are being provided free vaccination by the state government. Around Rs 3,000 crore is estimated to be the cost of the vaccination drive. The chief minister at a recent meeting with people’s representatives sought their cooperation and said that in the current circumstances, the MLAs had to part with Rs 3 cr this year from the fund to vaccinate people against Covid. This would give the state about Rs 600 crore this year. The MLA LAD which was Rs 2.25 crore per annum was increased in the last assembly session to Rs 5 crore.
The MLA fund has also been used by the government to augment community health centres and primary health centres last year during the first wave of Covid. Some MLAs have already started donating the amount to the CM relief fund.
Another fund the state government set its eyes on is the district mineral development fund. This fund was created in 2015 with the objective to work for the benefit of the persons and areas affected by mining related operations. Under this fund, every holder of a mining lease or a prospecting licence-cum-mining, in addition to the royalty, pays to District Mineral Foundation, a trust formed at the district where the mining operations are carried out.