New Delhi, July 2 -- Every elected Member of Parliament (MP) in India commands Rs.5 crore a year under the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). Launched in 1993, it allows Indian Parliamentarians to recommend developmental public works, with an emphasis on community assets aimed at meeting locally felt needs.

Its guidelines are clear: funds must be spent on public assets, on government land and for government-controlled institutions. The intended beneficiary is the public at large without reference to any particular section of society.

Since 2011-12, the annual entitlement has been fixed at Rs.5 crore per MP. Across all 543 sitting members, the scheme's cumulative allocation for the 18th Lok Sabha stands at Rs.8,265 crore (as of 2...