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Rajya Sabha plans to save Rs 80 crore amid Covid-19 crisis
The austerity measures were decided at a meeting of the Rajya Sabha secretariat chaired by vice president and Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, who wanted an expenditure reduction plan to be prepared, an official said.
As the nation battles the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rajya Sabha expects to save around Rs.80 crore this financial year by cutting expenses on the purchase of vehicles, reducing the number of study visits by parliamentary committees, keeping on hold international travel and training of its officials as well as the award of fellowships and internships under the upper house’s research scheme.
The austerity measures were decided at a meeting of the Rajya Sabha secretariat chaired by vice president and Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, who wanted an expenditure reduction plan to be prepared, an official aware of the details of the meeting said on condition of anonymity.
“Secretary general Desh Deepak Verma informed {the meeting} that saving of Rs. 60 crore has already been identified against the annual budget of Rs. 423 crore for the secretariat for 2020-21. And a total saving of Rs. 80 core is being targeted as the financial year progresses,” the official said.
Against the backdrop of the extension of the coronavirus lockdown until May 17 and the need for the undivided focus of the executive on containing the spread of the disease, Naidu said a view will be taken later on holding meetings of department-related standing committees and other panels of the upper house.
This was the first meeting Naidu has held with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha secretariat since the nationwide lockdown came into effect on March 25.
Naidu also instructed officials to initiate action to fill up the vacancies of chairmen of eight committees, which arose following the retirement of some members of the Rajya Sabha. These vacancies include the posts of chairmen of department-related standing committees on human resource development and industries, held by Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya and Dr. K. Keshava Rao, respectively.
“As for oath taking by the 38 members who were recently elected unopposed, it has been decided that oath will be administered to them inside the chamber of the Rajya Sabha after the lockdown, if feasible before the next session so as to comply with the norm of physical distance, with their family members likely to attend,” the official said.
