Planning Commission renovates 2 toilets at Rs 35 L
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 21:35
New
Delhi: Planning Commission, which is mired in a controversy over what
constitutes the poverty line, has spent a whopping Rs 35 lakh for
renovation of two toilets here, an RTI reply has revealed.
The
Commission, which came up with a controversial poverty line figure of
Rs 28 per day for an individual, has spent Rs 30 lakh for the renovation
of the toilets on the lines of Indira Gandhi International Airport.
|
|
An additional Rs 5.19 lakh was spent on installing door access control system for the toilets at Yojana Bhawan.
The access control system will mean only those people who have been provided smart cards can use these swanky toilets.
"Cost
of installation of Door Access Control System is Rs 5,19,426 for two
toilets. Cost of renovation of two toilets where door access control
system is installed is Rs 30,00,305," the reply to activist Subhash
Agrawal said.
According
to the RTI reply, 60 smart cards have been issued to the officials of
the Planning Commission which have to be used to get access to the
toilets.
The
Commission had also decided to install CCTV cameras in the corridors
leading to these toilets as the officials said there were instances of
pilferage in the toilets. Estimates have been sought from the CPWD.
Apart
from the poverty line estimates issue, Planning Commission Deputy
Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had come under criticism after a
newspaper, based on RTI reply, reported that foreign travel expense
incurred by him between May and October, 2011 was a staggering Rs 2.02
lakh per day.
Another report said that he undertook 42 official trips (between June 2004-January 2011) of 274 days at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore.
Refuting
the inferences drawn in the later editorials, Ahluwalia had said that
foreign travels are necessary for discharge of official duties.
The
Commission officials, in a note on renovation, had observed, "With the
approval of JS (admn), CPWD(E) was requested to submit estimates for
SITC for door access control system and CCTV cameras. However Executive
Engineer CPWD(E) has forwarded estimates for installation of door access
control system in two toilets (one each on first and second floor) RBI
side, Yojana Bhawan."
"Things
like disturbing/breaking of sanitary appliances are taking place
frequently. It may not be out of place to mention that very high
dignitaries visit Yojana Bhawan in connection with official work in
addition to this non-official members of different committees visit
Yojana Bhawan for attending meetings," the officials said in another
note.
Disturbing
of sanitary fittings or non functional sanitary fittings portray a very
untidy picture of planning commission to the visiting dignitaries, it
said.
Another
noting proposing the upgradation of toilets last year shows that the
two toilets to be renovated as a pilot project and after execution of
work, decision on renovation of other toilets would be taken. According
to the note, it was desired that three other toilets of the Planning
Commission may also be renovated on the same lines. PTI
No comments:
Post a Comment