Panjab Releases Funds for Marriages but MLAs Rue Lack of Resources

The Panjab govt. has released $1.58M under the Ashirwad (Blessings) scheme to assist in the marriages of underprivileged girls from oppressed classes and economically weaker sections. Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Dr. Baljit Kaur, announced that the funds have been disbursed to 2,581 beneficiaries. The scheme provides financial assistance of up to $614 for the marriage of girls belonging to low-income families. The Panjab govt. has also released $2.67M to provide honorariums to Anganwadi (paid helpers to infants and mothers) workers and helpers for community-based events conducted in the financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, and up to 30 Sep. However, Panjab is facing a crisis as its legislators feel helpless due to the absence of Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development (MLALAD) funds which hampers their ability to carry out development work in their constituencies. The state, burdened with a debt of $42B, has been unable to provide MLALAD or discretionary funds to its MLAs. A month ago, dejected over non-grant of funds, AAP MLA from Ludhiana (West), Gurpreet Singh Gogi, demolished a foundation stone he had laid in May 2022 for a $78M project to clean the polluted Buddha Nullah. Comparatively, MLAs in other states receive substantial MLALAD funds — for instance, Delhi MLAs receive $850K annually. An aide to the CM mentioned that while there was intent to allocate $1.2M annually to each MLA, financial constraints have prevented this. The situation has left MLAs feeling they are only attending social functions without the means to effect tangible improvements in their constituencies.