New Delhi, February 10 Samajwadi Party MP Lalji Verma on Tuesday demanded an increase in the Member of Parliament Local Area Development scheme fund to Rs 25 crore per year.
Participating in the general discussion on the Union Budget 2026-26 in the Lok Sabha, Verma urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to increase the 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, the 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.
The Lok Sabha has 543 members and the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245.
Verma also demanded that the government should increase the allocation towards health to 2.5 per cent of the GDP from the current 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.