New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Samajwadi Party MP Lalji Verma on Tuesday demanded a hike in the Member of Parliament Local Area Development scheme fund to Rs 25 crore per year.
Participating in the general discussion on Union Budget 2026-26 in the Lok Sabha, Verma urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to hike MPLAD to Rs 25 crore from the current Rs 5 crore per year, given the demand for infrastructure development in each constituency.
Given the inflationary situation, MPLAD funds should be raised to Rs 25 crore for development, he said.
The annual entitlement of MPs has remained static at Rs 5 crore since 2011-12. Prior to this, each MP was entitled to an annual fund of Rs 2 crore per year.
Under the scheme, Parliamentarians can recommend development programmes involving expenditure of Rs 5 crore every year in their constituencies.
Lok Sabha has 543 members and Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245.
Verma also demanded that the government should increase outlay towards health to 2.5 per cent of the GDP from a paltry allocation of 0.5 per cent projected for the next financial year.
He also urged Sitharaman to make cancer treatment free of cost in the country. PTI DP DP APL APL
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