New Delhi: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has levelled serious allegations against its former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad of "enjoying the support of Narendra Modi" given that he was given extensions to use his official residence 5, South Avenue Lane. ETV Bharat tried to find out the criteria for getting such extensions of living in posh government accommodations in the national capital.
Azad who was the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha till his retirement in February last year continues to stay in Lutyens' Delhi, his official accommodation. Interestingly, while Azad continues to get enjoy the extensions, the Central government has time and again reiterated it would take 'strict' action against former MPs and Union Ministers who overstay in government accommodations at Lutyens' Delhi.
Even as the central government has implemented the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019, to facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government accommodation, official sources told ETV Bharat that like Azad many other former MPs are overstaying in posh accommodations provided by the Government in Lutyens' Delhi.
Such accommodations are spread in Lutyens' Delhi where MPs and Ministers are accommodated. "Normally, MPs get special permission (depending on conditions) to stay in government accommodation. Their accommodation can be extended up to five months," said a senior official in the Directorate of Estate under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) which deals with the government accommodation process of the MPs and Ministers.
The official, however, said that it is the House Committee of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha who take the final call on the accommodation and extension of such accommodations. "After we get recommendations from the House Committee we try to allot government quarters to the MPs and Ministers," the official said. However, as per the Rules, MPs or Ministers who overstay will bear a huge penalty. If they overstay beyond eight months, they have to pay up to Rs 10 lakh.
Also read: Was forced to leave my home, says Ghulam Nabi Azad after quitting Congress
According to a government circular, a penalty of Rs 2.15 lakh needs to be paid in the first month or 55 per cent of the license fee if the person overstays in the accommodation. If a former MP continues to stay in a bungalow for eight months without permission, the concerned MP will have to pay up to Rs 10 lakhs, a rate similar to the posh private properties in the national capital.
When contacted Bhubaneswar Kalita, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Assam and a member of the House Committee in Rajya Sabha told ETV Bharat that the central government has started taking strong action against former MPs overstaying in government accommodations. "It's a fact that many MPs overstay in the accommodation provided by the government but it should not be done," said Kalita.
Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri has recently said that in some cases the government regularises the continued occupation of bungalows by those "who get another job." When contacted Bhubaneswar Kalita, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Assam and a member of House Committee in Rajya Sabha told ETV Bharat that central government has started taking strong action against MPs overstaying in government accommodations.
"It's a fact that many MPs overstay in the accommodation provided by the government but it should not be done," said Kalita. Union Ministers are provided with Special and Type VII and VIII bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi. Type VII bungalows have four bedrooms and type VIII bungalows have five bedrooms. Both have servant quarters, lawns and a garage.
"In some cases when the House Committee provides a particular bungalow to a Minister and in case the bungalows are under renovation at that particular time, we provide them with other bungalows having similar facilities," the official from the Directorate of Estate said. In the last four-five months, the Directorate of Estate has conducted a number of evictions. Some of the evictions which generated widespread political reactions were of the family of former Union Minister late Ram Vilas Paswan and former Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
Several other MPs and former Ministers were also evacuated during the same period. The Directorate of Estate issued a short cause notice of three days before the eviction. As per Rules, the lowest fine for overstaying in type V flat (smallest govt accommodation in Lutyens' Delhi) in the first month would be Rs 63,500. The charges can reach Rs 3.17 lakh.
