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 Rajya Sabha has stated that the expenses of running the Rajya Sabha 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 Rajya Sabha 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. The 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 his duties as a Member from his/her usual place of residence (UPR) to the place of duty and back.
He or she is also entitled to thirty-four single air journeys a year to be availed alone or with the spouse or any number of companions or relatives.
One free non-transferable Railway pass, which entitles the member alone or with the spouse to travel in the first class air-conditioned or executive class by any railway in India alongwith a companion in AC two tier is also given to members. A member having no spouse can be accompanied by any other person in place of the spouse in the same class in addition to the facility of one companion in the AC two tier.
The spouse is entitled to travel in the first class air conditioned or executive class in any train with the member. The spouse of a member is entitled to travel alone either by rail in the first class air-conditioned or executive class in any train or by air or partly by rail and partly by air from the usual place of residence of the member to New Delhi and back once during every session and twice in the budget session of Parliament subject to the condition that the total number of each such journey either to New Delhi or back shall not exceed eight in a year. For this purpose one free non-transferable railway pass is issued to the spouse.
A member is also entitled to have two free telephones, one at his residence or office in New Delhi and the other at his usual place of residence or a place selected by him in his state or the state in which he resides with 50,000 free local calls during a year on each telephone. However, the chairman of a Parliamentary Committee is exempted from payment of any charges for calls made from the telephone installed in that capacity at his residence in Delhi/New Delhi. Every Member is also entitled to one additional telephone either at his residence in Delhi/New Delhi or at his usual place of residence or at a place selected by him within the state or in the state in which he resides with 50,000 free local calls during a year for Internet Connectivity purposes. However 50,000 free Local calls during a year on each of the three telephones can be pooled together i.e., 150,000 free local calls.
A member is also entitled to one mobile phone connection of MTNL with national roaming facility and another mobile connection of MTNL or BSNL also with national roaming facility for utilising in his/her constituency and the calls made from these mobile phones will be adjusted from the available 150,000 free local calls. The member may avail such connections from any private mobile operator where the services of MNTL or BSNL are not available subject to the condition that the registration and rental charges will be borne by the member himself.
A member can also avail Rs 1,00,000 or the cost of the vehicle whichever is less as advance for the purchase of a conveyance. A member is also entitled to 4000 KL of water and 50,000 units of electricity (25,000 units measured on light meter and 25,000 units measured on power meter or pooled together) per annum beginning 1st of January every year in respect of residence allotted to him or her in Delhi or MPs who are residing in private accommodation in Delhi.
Accommodation in the form of a flat is rent free throughout the term of office to an MP. A member can change tiles in kitchen and bathroom as demanded and can also avail the facility of washing of sofa covers and curtains every three months. He or she can also avail furniture free of charge within the existing monetary ceiling of Rs.60,000 in respect of durable furniture and Rs 15,000 for non-durable furniture.
Members of Parliament are entitled to same medical facilities as are available to the officers of Central Civil Services, Class-I Officer under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
A former member of the Provisional Parliament or either House of Parliament is entitled to a minimum pension of Rs 8000 per month and an additional pension of Rs 800 per month for every year served as member of Parliament for a period exceeding five years. An ex-member of Parliament is entitled to travel in any train in AC-II tier class along with a companion or in AC First Class if travelling alone, on the Authority of the ex-MP identity card issued to him by Rajya Sabha Secretariat.