Bungalow row

SHILLONG: While the information and public relations department of the State Government in the past denied that the Chief Secretary WMS Pariat was using his official bungalow at Bivar road, the GAD in a statement issued here on Monday said that many confidential and other officials works are disposed of by the Chief Secretary in his bungalow office and hence it is important to keep the designated bungalow of the Chief  Secretary appropriately furnished.
In his statement, the Principal Secretary, GAD PW Ingty said that the Chief Secretary to Government has to host various official functions including meetings and conferences with senior officers and foreign dignitaries.
“Some of these functions are held in the designated bungalow of the Chief Secretary, which is therefore required to be properly maintained”.
The controversy over the official bungalow of the Chief Secretary arose after it was found from the pay slip provided by the Accountant General,  that Pariat was availing Rs 16,000 per month as house rent  while he was allotted  the official bungalow at Bivar road.
As per GAD norm, any official can claim house rent only if he stays in rented accommodations or his own house and not in official bungalow provided by the Government.
In reply to a question by RTI activist Agnes Kharshiing, the Estate Officer L. Shabong of GAD said that it was based on the request of Pariat that Rs. 6,340 (on November 9, 2009)  and Rs. 66,016 ( on March 31,2010)  were spent  on two occasions  by the department for furnishing the bungalow.
The RTI reply also said that when Ranjan Chatterjee was the Chief Secretary prior to Pariat, Chatterjee made request for furnishing the bungalow on March 10, 2009( Rs 16,818), July 31,2009 ( Rs 1850) and on August 4, 2009( Rs 6519)
However, the Principal Secretary GAD in his statement on Monday said that the amount of Rs. 6,340 and Rs. 66,016 spent in connection with furnishings was during the tenure and as per indent made by the previous Chief Secretary.
” These payments, after due scrutiny and process, were sanctioned during the tenure of the present Chief Secretary who, till date, has not made any  indent for any furnishing whatever in his designated bungalow”, the GAD claimed .