Ever since the Union Cabinet approved the ordinance to suspend the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) Fund and reduce the salaries of the Union Ministers and MPs with the view of adding more funds to the preventive and relief measures in the fight against the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the MPs and opposition leaders have been describing the decision as unilateral.

Tamil Nadu Opposition leader and DMK President MK Stalin took to Twitter and said that the suspension of the MP fund is undemocratic and VCK Chief Thol Thirumavalavan echoed the same notion against the Central government. However, following the Center's decision to cut the funds, the Tamil Nadu state government has on Tuesday announced that the government has cleared the ordinance of utilizing Rs 1 crore from all members of the Legislative Assembly from the MLALADS (MLA Local Area Development Scheme) Fund towards COVID-19 relief works.

சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினர் தொகுதி மேம்பாட்டு நிதி வழிமுறைகள்படி, சம்பந்தப்பட்ட தொகுதிக்குட்பட்ட பகுதிகளில்தான், சட்டமன்ற உறுப்பினர்களின் பரிந்துரைப்படி வரையறுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பணிகளுக்கு அந்நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்ய முடியும்.

இதை அறியாமல், விதிமுறைப்படி செய்ததை @mkstalin அவர்கள் குறைகூறுகிறார். pic.twitter.com/QxpALSq3l5

— Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) April 7, 2020

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said that he has cleared the utilization from the MLA Fund and stated that according to the guidelines of MLALADS, the funds would be allotted for certain projects defined by the legislators in their respective legislative constituencies. The Chief Minister further stated that the MLAs can allot Rs 25 lakh from their MLALAD Scheme to strengthen the relief works to curb the spread of the virus in their respective constituencies. 

In his statement, Palaniswami divulged that Rs 1 crore would be utilized from the MLALADS fund of each MLA in the state and the funds would be used at the state level to procure protective mechanisms and medical equipment. However, MK Stalin has criticized the announcement and condemned the state government for rejecting Rs 1 crore fund that was provided by DMK MLA Senthil Balaji. 

In his relief package, Senthil Balaji, who represents Aravakuruchi constituency from Karur district, has allocated Rs 60 lakh towards procuring ventilators for the government hospital in Karur. Balaji said that the virus-hit patients from his constituency have been getting treated at the Karur government hospital.

Stalin stated that his aid package was initially accepted by the district administration and later the package was rejected. He condemned the rejection and claimed that this is not the time to do politics. Responding to the state opposition leader, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said that as per the guidelines of the MLALADS Fund, the allotted fund through the scheme can be used for the projects defined and recommended by the MLA in the legislative constituency.