While a fierce debate rages on the definition of office of profit, UP politicians have given an entirely new meaning to the term.
LUCKNOW: While a fierce debate rages on the definition of office of profit, UP politicians have given an entirely new meaning to the term. Most of the state's three dozen corporations have become sinecures for politicians close to the powers that be. Almost all of these corporations are running in huge losses, but that has not affected the lifestyles of their chairmen who are partying at the expense of the taxpayer's money.
Consider this: The UP Agro Corporation is reeling under accumulated losses of over Rs 70 crore. Its employees have not been getting regular salaries since 1996. The corporation is unable to pay its basic expenses of electricity and telephone bills. But its chairman wants a CD player and TV to be fitted in his official car.
The chairman, Nathu Singh, an influential ruling party MLA, is not the only one bleeding the state's corporations. There are examples galore of their families, friends and supporters also having a ball at the government's expense. Nawab Qazim Ali Khan, MLA and heir to the erstwhile Nawab of Rampur, heads the UP State Tourism Development Corporation (UPSTDC). He and his supporters have totted up bills of lakhs of rupees.
The department has now begun an inquiry and also informed the Chief Minister of the Nawab's lavish ways. However, Qazim Ali is far from apologetic. "This is a conspiracy to defame me. The bureaucrats want to run their writ in the department. They do not want us to function independently," he told DNA. BJP state president Kesrinath Tripathi condemns the "unprecedented misuse".
He told DNA: "These offices are being used to lure MLAs from other parties and to keep dissatisfied party leaders in good humour." He quotes examples of Nawab Qazim and Forest Corporation chairman Vinod Yadav who were ministers of state in the previous Mayawati regime. Both have now joined the ruling Samajwadi Party.
Almost all these chairmen have been given Minister of State status which means that the government would foot all their bills. Each of these chairmen is entitled to a monthly remuneration of Rs 2,000. But in addition, they claim Rs 7,500 for refreshments. On an average, each chairman claims Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per month as Travelling Allowance (TA) besides Rs 750 per day as DA. Then there are monthly telephone bills between Rs 7,000 and Rs 10,000, and miscellaneous expenses such as stationery.
Another major expenditure is on fuel for their red-beaconed cars and escort jeeps. Some of these chairmen have been claiming over a lakh of rupees for diesel and petrol every month. UP Agro chairman Nathu Singh has been claiming bills for daily travel to Lucknow from his constituency Bhagwant Nagar in Unnao district. His fuel bills for April and May this year added up to Rs 1.11 lakh, though he is entitled to Rs 70,000 for the entire year. A senior bureaucrat said the Chief Secretary had called for details of all such cases of "wasteful expenditure". He said the Chief Minister had taken such reports seriously and an inquiry would be initiated.
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