MPLADS Funds Now Released in Single Annual Instalment via eSAKSHI Portal

Until the 2022–23 financial year, MPLADS funds were released to district authorities in two instalments of ₹2.5 crore each.

The annual entitlement for each Member of Parliament (MP) under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) remains at ₹5 crore, a figure that has been in place since the 2011–12 financial year. However, in a significant procedural change aimed at improving fund flow and project implementation, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOS&PI) has shifted from a two-instalment disbursement system to a single-instalment annual release through its newly launched eSAKSHI web portal.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics & Programme Implementation, Planning, and Culture, Rao Inderjit Singh, provided this update in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today, noting that the reform aligns with revised Ministry of Finance guidelines.

Fund Release: From Two Instalments to One

Until the 2022–23 financial year, MPLADS funds were released to district authorities in two instalments of ₹2.5 crore each. From April 1, 2023, the entire ₹5 crore annual entitlement is now authorised at the beginning of the financial year—or at the start of an MP’s term—under the revised fund flow procedure.

This uniform entitlement applies to all MPs, regardless of whether their constituencies are rural or urban, and independent of the population size.

Stakeholder Input and Review of Fund Entitlement

The Ministry continues to receive and assess suggestions from MPs, state authorities, and other stakeholders, including proposals for revising the annual entitlement. Such changes, if considered, would follow due process and detailed examination.

Revised MPLADS Guidelines, 2023: Efficiency and Quality Focus

The MPLADS Guidelines, 2023 outline a range of measures to ensure effective use of funds and to improve the quality of assets created. Key provisions include:

• Defined timelines for the sanction and completion of projects recommended by MPs.

• Monitoring mandates for both Central and State departments, as well as implementing agencies.

• Periodic inspections and reviews to ensure compliance and quality control.

• Mandatory documentation, audits, and progress reporting for transparency.

• Delegation of full powers—technical, financial, and administrative—to the Implementing District Authority, enabling faster sanctioning and execution of projects (as per Para 4.3.2 of the Guidelines).

Aiming for Quicker and Better Local Development

By streamlining fund release and empowering district authorities, the government hopes to accelerate project implementation and improve service delivery at the grassroots level. The integration of the eSAKSHI portal also ensures digital tracking, better transparency, and accountability in MPLADS operations.

The MPLADS programme, launched in 1993, is a central sector scheme that enables MPs to recommend developmental works of a capital nature based on locally felt needs, with a focus on creating durable community assets such as roads, drinking water facilities, health and education infrastructure, and sanitation.