The recent debate in the Parliament over the huge subsidy being given to the Parliament canteens serving MPs has again raised a fundamental question which has been until now left unattended: Is extravagant expenditure on food in the form of subsidy for the Parliamentarians justified in a country like India, where people die of starvation? If no, then why has this system been prevalent since such a long time?
In response to an RTI filed, it was revealed that the canteens of Parliament were given a total subsidy of Rs. 60.7 crore during the last five years with meals like ‘puri sabji’ being sold at 88 per cent subsidised rates. The list of items received under the RTI Act disclosed that Parliamentarians, who earn more than Rs. 1.4 lakh along with perks, are relishing items like mutton curry with bone at Rs 20, ‘fish fried with chips’ at Rs 25, boiled vegetables at Rs 5, mutton cutlet at Rs 18 and masala dosa at Rs 6 with subsidized rate of as much as 83 per cent.
The reply further puts light on the data of the total amount of subsidy received by the canteens: Rs. 10.4 crore, 11.7 crore, 11.9 crore, 12.5 crore and 14 crore during the years 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14 respectively, which amounts to a total of around Rs. 60.7 crore.
Subhash Agrawal, the RTI activist, has said that charity should begin at home and therefore when Union government is justly focusing on cutting away subsidy-regime, subsidy on food items in the canteen of Parliament should as well be abolished immediately. “Salaries and allowances available to Parliamentarians are sufficient to afford normal food prices without subsidy especially when even people below-poverty-line have to spend much more on food prices.” he remarked. The common masses have chosen these Parliamentarians for their welfare and not in order to provide comforts and luxuries to the MPs. It is very disheartening to see that how the representatives of people are enjoying their life on the money of the common people. On one hand, we pay heavy taxes and that too not just once but dozens of times while on the other hand, the Government gives subsidies up to 90% to those who earn adequate to repay the actual bills.