Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday unveiled the simplified guidelines for the MLA Local Area Development (MLA-LAD) fund and Chief Minister’s Special Assistance (CM-SAA) schemes.
Along with the new guidelines, the Chief Minister also launched the official MLA-LAD web portal (https://mlalads.odisha.gov.in)
The launch took place at the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar in the presence of Ministers and senior officials.
Officials said the revised guidelines aim to streamline administrative processes, reduce delays, and ensure the timely implementation of grassroots development projects. Under the new framework, the time from project recommendation to work order issuance has been capped at 30 days.
The portal enables legislators to recommend projects, track approvals, monitor execution, and access expenditure details in real time. Constituents can also view project status and related data, fostering transparency and accountability.
The simplified guidelines were prepared under the direct supervision of the Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, incorporating feedback from legislators and studying best practices from neighbouring states. The CM expressed gratitude to all ministers, MLAs, and officials involved in the reform process.
It may be noted that the MLA-LAD Scheme, launched in 1997–98, has served as a strong tool for creating small but essential infrastructure for the public. Over time, the grant amount for each Assembly constituency has increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 3 crore. For the financial year 2025–26, an allocation of Rs 5 crore has been made for each constituency under the scheme.