The Maharashtra government today informed the Bombay High Court that it has not yet taken a final decision on the disbursement of proposed special fund of Rs 237 crore to provide basic facilities to slum dwellers.
A division bench of Justices S J Vazifdar and B P Colabawala was hearing a public interest litigation by Shiv Sena MLA Ravindra Waikar challenging the proposed distribution of the fund on the ground that the government had allocated ruling party MLAs more money than the Opposition party legislators.
The PIL alleged that the state had sanctioned Rs 237 crore to set up a fund for providing basic facilities to slum dwellers through "Zopadpatti Sudhar Mandal". Out of this, an amount of Rs 189.60 crore was earmarked for the year 2013-14.
It further alleged that the government has decided to allocate Rs six crore to each MLA of the ruling party while the opposition MLAs were to receive only Rs two crore each.
The petition said this was unjust and unfair and that every MLA should be given equal amount.
The petition had relied on a communication of September 2013 between two departments of the state government.
Advocate General Darius Khambata today, however, clarified that the government has not taken any decision of allocation of funds yet and that the September 2013 letter relied upon by the petitioner, was only a recommendation.
Following this the bench disposed of the petition.
