Under attack from the Opposition, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Akhilesh Yadav, on Wednesday did a U-turn on his decision to allow MLAs to purchase four-wheelers worth up to Rs 20 lakh out of their local area development fund.
“I take back the decision now. I take back the whole decision....The reason behind this is that most of the MLAs have decided not to take the offer after the media hype,” he told reporters at his residence here.
Seeking to defend the move to allow MLAs to buy four-wheelers worth up to Rs 20 lakh and pay their depreciated value after five years to retain them, he said, “There are many MLAs who can’t afford cars...The order was not for all, it was not compulsory for everyone to take the offer.
“There are some MLAs who use seven-eight year-old cars to go around their constituencies,” he noted.
Protests
The announcement in the Assembly by the Chief Minister on Tuesday had sparked protests from the BJP, BSP and Congress members who said the move would send a wrong message as the money to be used for buying the vehicles would come from MLAs’ local area development fund.
The Chief Minister had said, “Despite a financial crisis, the SP Government has fulfilled all the promises it made in the party manifesto in the Budget. MLAs are allowed to purchase vehicles up to Rs 20 lakh from their local area development fund.”
He had said the value of the vehicle will be depreciated every year and at the end of five years, the MLAs could deposit the depreciated amount to retain the vehicle or otherwise hand it over to the Government.
He had also announced the decision to hike the MLA fund by Rs 25 lakh from Rs 1.25 crore to Rs 1.50 crore.
“A strong Opposition makes democracy strong ... The role of the Opposition is to give suggestions and it is also the responsibility of the Government to accept good suggestions”, he said.
BJP leader, Mr Hukum Singh, had said, “The decision to buy vehicles will not send a good message to the electorate. Even MLAs buying vehicles with their own money would look as if they have used public money for the purpose.”