Congress vaccination plan: CM asks party to donate money instead

He has turned down party’s plan to utilise over ₹ 90 crore from LAD fund

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has shot down Congress proposal to utilise over ₹90 crore from the legislators’ local area development (LAD) fund for the purchase of vaccines. Instead, if the Congress or its legislators wish to donate to the government’s vaccine programme, they could donate to the specified fund or to the organisations that are involved in public vaccination, he said. “It is not appropriate to add up a fund meant for specific government project with that of a party’s fund to provide vaccines to the public. It is also not necessary at the moment,” said an internal noting signed by the Chief Minister. Further, the Chief Minister said, “It was also not right to utilise the government’s fund and portray it as party’s fund to create confusion among the people.” Congress had proposed to utilise the Karnataka Legislators’ Local Area Development (KLLAD) Fund and funds meant for the Members of Parliament that would add up to ₹90 crore and add ₹10 crore from the party to purchase vaccines worth ₹100 crore to be given to the public. While each legislator gets ₹2 crore annually, the MPs get ₹5 crore annually.