NO CAP ON MLAS’ HEALTH SPENDINGS

Pray that our MLAs and MLCs keep in good health because you, the taxpayer, will be footing their medical bills in toto from now on, as the TS government has decided to remove the `2 lakh ceiling on reimbursement of medical expenses of sitting and former MLAs and MLCs.

Pray that our MLAs and MLCs keep in good health because you, the taxpayer, will be footing their medical bills in toto from now on, as the TS government has decided to remove the `2 lakh ceiling on reimbursement of medical expenses of sitting and former MLAs, MLCs.

On the directions of the state government the General Administration Department (GAD) has sent the file to the finance department for its approval.

At present, sitting and former MLAs and MLCs get up to `1 lakh for medical expenses. If the medical bills exceed `2 lakh, the Chief Minister’s approval is necessary to release the funds. MLAs, MLCs, current and former, can avail of treatment in any private hospital and do not have to go to a government run hospital.

The bills are submitted to the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly, which is supposed to scrutinise the bills and make the payment along with the salary or pension.

This perquisite was not thought adequ-ate, so some MLAs told the government that `2 lakh is not enough in present day circumsta-nces, and the ceiling should be removed. The state has thus obligingly directed the GAD to put up the file for removing the ceiling.

It is open to debate whether the representatives of the people should get any medical expenses reimbursed at all, since the people they represent are not similarly privileged.

But re-moving the ceiling for such reimbursement al-together is bound to lead to a misuse of public money, say bureaucrats. If the `2 lakh is not sufficient, the government can raise the ceiling somewhat, they say.

Since politicians routinely get treated at private hospitals - since the ones their government funds are woefully inadequate - it's a great opportunity for private hospitals to mint money.

At present, the strength of the Telangana Legislative Assembly is 119, and the Legislative Council, 40. There are about 500 former MLAs and MLCs in Telangana state. Bureaucrats say they have no record of how much money is spent by government for reimbursing the medical expenses of these politicians.

■ TS government

■ If there's no ceiling, public to remove ceiling money may be misused. limit of `2 lakh on

There are 119 serving

■ medical expenses MLAs and 40 MLCs. There for current and are about 500 former MLAs former MLAs and and MLCs in the state. MLCs.