Government’s Travel Allowances for the MPs
Recently, there were controversies regarding the travel allowances of Members of the Parliament. Let’s take a look at the actual travel allowance granted by the Central Government to the MPs:
Members of the Parliament are given concessions to travel to attend the Parliament sessions and to participate in the meetings. These to-and-from travel concessions are given from the usual place of residence of these members to the Parliament or to the place where the meeting is going to be held.
Via Train/Airplane: In case of train journey, charges for one First Class ticket and one Second Class ticket are given. The concession is given for whatever class the MP travels in.
For travel via air, 1.5 times the fare is given to the MP. For travel via road, the member is paid up to Rs. 13 per kilometre. If there is no direct air-route from the MP’s place of residence to the place where the Parliamentary session is being held, then the member is given the option to choose the travel mode that could get him/her to the destination within a day. The member’s spouse is entitled to accompany him/her once during the general session and twice during the budget meetings – adding up to not more than 8 times in a year – to New Delhi and back, via air/train or by road, from the place of residence.
Free Train Travel: Each MP and his/her spouse are given special identity cards that entitle them to travel free of cost, to any part of the country, by train, in First Class air-conditioned coach. His/her personal assistant is given identity cards that qualify them for free travel in Second Class air-conditioned railway coaches. These cards are valid for the entire tenure of the Member of Parliament.
8 trips via Air: Each year, the Member of Parliament is entitled, either with his/her spouse, assistants, or with relatives, to make 34 trips by airplane to any part of the country. The spouse or assistant can make 8 trips by air to meet the Member of Parliament. In case of physically challenged Members of Parliaments, the personal assistant is allowed to travel with him/her constantly. Members of Parliament are entitled to many such benefits and allowances.
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