Govt spends Rs 4 cr on perks of 60 political appointees annually
SHILLONG: The Congress-led MUA II Government has been incurring avoidable expenses in providing perks and facilities to political appointees, money which could have been utilized better in ensuring development in the fund-starved State.
This has been revealed in an RTI finding by The National Khasi Union (NKU) which has questioned the unnecessary spending of more than Rs 4 crore annually on perks and other facilities of the 60 political appointees by the Government. The majority of the political appointees are given posts of chairman, vice chairman or co-chairman of various boards and public sector undertakings.
As per ) the RTI findings, NKU general secretary Samborlang Diengdoh on Wednesday informed that the Government was spending around Rs 1.44 crore annually in payment of the honorarium of Rs 20,000 per month to the various political appointees.
He said that the Government at the same time is spending around Rs 1.44 crore annually for payment of the house rent which was fixed at Rs 20,000 per month to the 60 political appointees. Besides, the Government was spending around Rs 1.29 crore annually for the conveyance allowance of the political appointees.
According to him, the conveyance allowance which was being provided to the political appointees was in terms of 250 litres per month of fuel against the allotted vehicle. The total cost would touch around Rs 18,000 per month if the cost of petrol per litre was calculated Rs 72.
He also informed that the Government was also spending around Rs 61.20 lakh per annum for the hospitality allowance which was fixed at Rs 8,500 per month.
The NKU general secretary informed that the political appointees were also getting an electricity charge of Rs 5000 per month.
“The Government is spending around Rs 3.60 lakh on the electricity charges for the political appointees annually,” he said.
Diengdoh also said that the Government is also giving a one-time allowance of Rs 20,000 for furnishing of house to the each to all the political appointees besides a total amount of Rs 40,000 annually for maintenance of furniture.
The NKU general secretary informed that the various political appointees were also provided with one stenographer, one sectional assistant, one personal secretary, one typist, one driver, one additional driver and Grade IV staff in office as admissible besides five Grade IV staff in the residence.
He said that the Government could have utilized these funds in meeting the requirements of developmental projects along inter-State border and to generate employment which could resolve the unemployment problem to a certain extent.
Informing that they would be submitting suggestions to the State Government to reduce this expenditures on political appointees, he said that they would also be submitting a list of educated unemployed youths in the State who could be provided employment by the Government instead of unnecessarily spending on the perks and facilities of the political appointees.
“We are also planning to meet Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on this matter,” he added.
Expenditures on Political Appointees Annually
Honorarium Rs 1,44,00,000
Hospitality Rs 61,20,000
House Rent Rs 1,44,00,000
Requisition Vehicle Per Day
(if not allotted Government Vehicle) Rs 4,32,000
Electricity Charges Rs 3,60,000
Conveyance Allowance Rs 12,96,000
One-time payment for house Rs 1,20,00,000
Maintenance of furniture Rs 24,00,000