Gujarat: Elected representatives can allocate more grant to residential societies

In a move to help elected representatives spend more on public welfare ahead of state Assembly elections, the Gujarat government has doubled the percentage of grants that an MLA, municipal corporator or a municipality member can allocate to residential societies for works that entail public participation.

Under the ‘Swarnim Jayanti Mukhyamantri Shehri Vikas Yojana’ (SJMSVY), residents of a private residential society, housing board or apartment have to contribute 20 per cent of the cost of public works like water pipeline connections, asphalt or stone paving of internal roads, resurfacing, concrete roads, street lights, water harvesting, underground sewer works, among others.

The remaining 70 per cent of the cost is borne by Gujarat government and 10 percent by the local body.

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Earlier, public representatives like an MLA could contribute only 10 per cent from his or her respective grants, as part of public contribution for the project.

Following Wednesday’s announcement, an elected representative can now allocate the entire 20 per cent of project cost that a residential society would bear.