PositiveNewsCorner

Based on inputs by Meeta K

From the next session, MPs will have to pay more for the food they are provided in Parliament canteen. This was decided after they unanimously gave an in-principle approval to a proposal for withdrawing the subsidy they get on eatables.

As per sources of TOI, the decision was taken in a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting in which Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla moved the proposal suggesting them to let go of the subsidy that parliamentarians avail at Parliament canteen.

MPs will have to pay money for the food as per its preparation cost on “no profit, no loss” basis. The new rate will apply to MPs, officials of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, media persons, security personnel as well as visitors.

This would in turn save about Rs 17 crore annually as the food in the Parliament canteen will be sold at actual cost.

As per the subsidized rates, a plate of vegetarian ‘thali’ costs Rs 30, while non-veg ‘thali’ costs Rs 60 in Parliament canteen. Other items being served on subsidised cost are bread and butter Rs 6, chapati Rs 2, chicken curry Rs 50, chicken cutlets (per plate) Rs 41, tandoori chicken Rs 60, coffee Rs 5, dosa plain Rs 12, fish curry Rs 40, Hyderabadi chicken biryani Rs 65, mutton curry Rs 45, rice (boiled) Rs 7 and soup Rs 14.

The costs specified above, were revised (“made costlier”) in January 2016 after it was made public that canteen was being subsidised to the extent of 80 per cent of its cost. The rate revision was then ordered by then Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan