I got a call from K.M. Chandrashekhar, the Cabinet Secretary, stating that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was about to begin his reply to the debate on the Finance Bill and wanted to announce an increase in the grant of each MP under the MPLAD scheme from 2 crore to 5 crore. He wanted the EC’s approval in view of the fact that the MCC was in operation because of elections to five states
