That our Parliamentarians enjoy many privileges a common man can’t even dream of isn’t new. But an RTI application has revealed that even in today’s times of high cost of vegetables and pulses, our Parliamentarians continue to enjoy food at rock-bottom prices in the Parliament canteen.

With a crispy masala dosa for Rs 6 and a plate of mutton curry that costs a mere Rs 20, there is a long list of over 70 items available for the country’s lawmakers, who earn more than Rs 1.4 lakh per month besides perks.

An RTI query filed by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal has revealed that the canteen of the country’s power corridor is a haven for food lovers, and it doesn’t even pinch their deep pockets.

Imagine a plate of boiled rice for Rs 4, or for that matter a plate of fish fried with chips at Rs 25, mutton cutlet at Rs 18 and boiled vegetables at Rs 5.

The RTI reply has revealed that all this is possible because the Lok Sabha Secretariat doles out heavy subsidies to run the canteen.

According to the RTI reply, for the year 2013-14, a heavy subsidy of Rs 14 crore was given as budget grant to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

High subsidy

For non-vegetarian meals, raw items are procured at Rs 99.05, while the prepared dish is served at Rs 33 to MPs with 66 per cent subsidy, the RTI reply showed. It added that the present prices have not been revised since December 2010.

The RTI response revealed that the 70-plus mouthwatering dishes on offer - ranging from a simple boiled egg to various mutton and chicken dishes - enjoy a subsidy of more than 150 per cent to 63 per cent.

The only item sold for a marginal profit is the humble ‘roti’; the raw material costs 77 paisa while a roti is sold at Rs 1.

The canteen, which is being run by Northern Railways, procures raw items from government-run agencies like Kendriya Bhandar, Mother Dairy and Delhi Milk Scheme, etc.

The only item sold for a marginal profit in the Parliament canteen is the humble roti, priced at Rs 1

The RTI reply revealed that over the years, the canteen received a subsidy of Rs 10.4 crore, Rs 11.7 crore, Rs 11.9 crore, Rs 12.5 crore and Rs 14 crore during the years 2009-10, 2010- 11, 2012-13, 2013-14, respectively, which totals around Rs 60.7 crore.

The RTI activist said: “Why not provide the chapati free-of-cost to eliminate the only exception for benefit of our lawmakers who, through their own constituted committee, decide burdening the public exchequer for such undeserving subsidy for themselves in Parliament canteen.”

While stressing that charity should begin at home, especially when the Union government is concentrating on cutting subsidies, Agrawal said the subsidy on food items in the Parliament canteen should be immediately abolished.

He said the salaries and allowances available to Parliamentarians are sufficient to afford normal food prices without any subsidy.