Rs 287 cr spent to run Rajya Sabha

A huge amount of Rs 287 crore (Rs 2,872,156,362) of taxpayers’ money was spent on the functioning of the Rajya Sabha in 2014-2015. In reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by The Sunday Guardian, the Pay and Accounts Office of the RS has stated that the expenses of running the RS are divided under 10 heads including chairman/deputy-chairman, members, consultative committee meetings, leader of opposition, secretariat of leader of opposition, discretionary grants by the presiding officer, secretariat of leaders/deputy leaders and chief whips of recognised parties/groups, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, training unit and Rajya Sabha TV channel.

A massive Rs 117 crore (Rs 1,178,023,435) of the total expenditure was spent under the head “Rajya Sabha Secretariat” that includes salaries, wages, medical treatment, rents and other expenses.

Similarly, Rs 106 crore (Rs 1,067,844,421) was spent under the head “members” that includes the salaries of the members (Rs 38 crore) and D.T. expenses (Rs 43 crore).

The third major head where the chunk of the money went into was the running and functioning of the RS channel, which was Rs 59 crore. A major portion of the money under this head was spent on “professional services” (Rs 14.61 crore) and “other expenses” (Rs 39.98 crore). As per the “The salary, allowances and pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954”, a Rajya Sabha member is entitled to receive several benefits that includes Rs 16,000 per month as salary that is payable during the whole term of the membership, a daily allowance of Rs 1,000 per day for the duration of the session and sitting of a Committee. DA is also admissible for a period of three days immediately preceding the commencement and three days immediately succeeding the conclusion of the session; and two days immediately preceding the commencement and two days immediately succeeding the conclusion of the business of the Committee. Apart from that, Rs 20,000 per month is paid as constituency allowance that is payable during the whole term of office as Member Rajya Sabha. The member is also given an office expense allowance of Rs 20,000. A Member is also entitled to different sets of travelling allowances for attending a session of the Rajya Sabha or a meeting of a Committee or for the purpose of attending any other business connected with RS duties.