Planning Commission's self-allocation - 35 lakh for 2 toilets

[Sridhar]

NEW DELHIlanning Commission might be snipping the ambitious budget of ministries, but when it comes to fancy schemes for its office at Yojana Bhawan, no corners are cut. An RTI application has revealed that renovation of two toilets in Planning Commission offices has cost the exchequer over 35 lakh.

These toilets are rather fancy and can be accessed only with a smart card. CPWD has provided 60 smart cards for accessing the two toilets on the first floor.

An RTI application, filed by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal, reveals that the use of these toilets is restricted to senior officials on the first floor, including senior advisors of the Planning Commission. The reply says that the Planning Commission spent 5.19 lakh on installing the door access system in the toilets and the renovation cost a whopping 30 lakh.

So, what is the Planning Commission's excuse for undertaking such an expensive proposition? The internal note circulated to justify this expenditure says, "It has been noticed that there are instances of sabotage in the newly renovated toilets.

Things like disturbing/breaking of sanitary appliances are taking place frequently. It may not be out of place that very high dignitaries visit Yojana Bhawan in connection to official work.

In addition to this, non-official members of committees visit Yojana Bhawan for attending meetings, etc. Disturbing of sanitary fittings or non-functional sanitary fittings portray a very untidy picture of Planning Commission to the visiting dignitaries."

Planning Commission's self-allocation: 35 lakh for 2 toilets at Yojana Bhawan - The Economic Times

 

[ejazr]

"It has been noticed that there are instances of sabotage in the newly renovated toilets.

Things like disturbing/breaking of sanitary appliances are taking place frequently. It may not be out of place that very high dignitaries visit Yojana Bhawan in connection to official work.

In addition to this, non-official members of committees visit Yojana Bhawan for attending meetings, etc. Disturbing of sanitary fittings or non-functional sanitary fittings portray a very untidy picture of Planning Commission to the visiting dignitaries."



This is so funny!! So People working in the Planning comission can't use toilets so they have to smartcard it!!??

 

[H.A.]

They have Jacuzzi's installed kya? for Rs. 35 Lakhs....:shocked:

 

[Ray]

The Rural Development Ministry gives :inr: 1 lakh for each village toilet made by villagers for their houses. This is to stop people using the fields and which could spread diseases.

It consists of a bored hole and the superstructure is to be made by the owner!

Midnapore leads in the all India statistics for the maximum number of villagers who have availed of the scheme.

 

[Galaxy]

Planning Commission spends Rs 35 lakh to renovate two toilets in Delhi

Planning Commission spends Rs 35 lakh to renovate two toilets in Delhi

Outrage over Rs 35 L spend on Plan Panel toilets

New Delhi: An Indian who spends Rs 32 a day or more is not poor, as per the Planning Commission's definition of poor. However, the same Plan Panel splurges Rs 35 lakhs on refurbishing two toilets at its headquarters!

An RTI query has brought to light this shocking fact, leading to outrage among many. Questions are being asked as to why public exchequer's money is being spent like this.

Of the Rs 35 lakh spent by the Commission renovating two toilets at Yojana Bhawan, Rs 5.19 lakh were spent on a "door access control system", which allows only 60 "very high dignitaries" provided with smart cards to use these international airport-grade restrooms.

Plan Panel chief Montek Singh Ahluwalia parried questions on the matter, while an official statement said the expenditure was on routine maintenance.

The Commission also clarified that the toilets were not exclusively meant to be used by just senior people.

Ten people can use the toilet block together at one point of time, it added.


The reply to RTI activist Subhash Agrawal's application also revealed that the Plan Panel wants to install CCTV cameras in the corridors outside these toilets — to check theft of the bathroom fittings. Estimates of the cost have been sought from the Central Public Works Department.

Another Plan Panel note spells out why this is not money down the drain.

"Things like disturbing/breaking of sanitary appliances are taking place frequently.... Very high dignitaries visit Yojana Bhawan in connection with official work. In addition to this, non-official members of different committees visit Yojana Bhawan for attending meetings," the note says.

It adds that damaged or defunct sanitary fittings portray the Commission in poor light before the visiting dignitaries.


The Commission's reply to the RTI plea says: "Cost of installation of door access control system is Rs 5,19,426 for two toilets. Cost of renovation of (the) two toilets... is Rs 30,00,305."

An earlier noting that proposed the toilet upgrade said these two loos would be renovated as a pilot project, after which a decision would be taken on renovating three other toilets in the building.

The revelations come months after the Commission faced accusations of insensitiveness over its declared poverty criteria: a per head, per day expenditure of Rs 26 in the villages and Rs 32 in urban areas.

Outrage over Rs 35 L spend on Plan Panel toilets

 

[SPIEZ]

Re: Planning Commission spends Rs 35 lakh to renovate two toilets in Delhi

Way to go, anfd people said Civil services do not pay much.

Here is a lucrative career option for all youngsters try to get into the planning commission.
rs.35 Lakh for Toilet Security, beat that

 

[aeroblogger]

A government office finally gets a nice toilet, and people are complaining? It must be really nice to enter a government office toilet and not have to hold your nose the whole time.

 

[Yusuf]

Austerity measures eh?

 

[Galaxy]

Planning commission splurges additional Rs 35K to install CCTV cameras inside refurbished toilets ** (Unreal News)

Planning commission splurges additional Rs 35K to install CCTV cameras inside refurbished toilets | The UnReal Times

 

[H.A.]

here is the angle opposite to him.....

 

[Neil]

wow.....those babus cant even forget about them being babu even when they under pressure.... priceless...!!

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

This is just tip of the iceberg. 3-4 years back PC used to buy 12 lakh worth of flowers everyday(that is what one of the Directors there told me) and people could order new furniture once promoted and get designer rooms. But it all changed since the RTI came into picture.

But this PC denigration has been going on since P Sainath wrote in The Hindu about Montek's travel: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/article3439624.ece
I think it is baseless to compare all these expenditures with the poverty line. This is so left wing rhetoric to make such comparisons. 35 lakhs for renovation does not sound that big an amount.

 

[Ray]

To enter this toilet, since it is for exclusive use, and if you are an authorised person to use it, you will be issued a Smart Card.

 

[Iamanidiot]

Gentlemen even government officials need proper hygiene after all even they are humans .The ED office in Delhi became more notorious for the pungent smell off ammonia emanating from its premises than for its notorious job

 

[sayareakd]

public office, public toilets, they discriminate even in toilets..... Lol.

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

This news is viral on all news channels. The left wing sabotage of news channels!!

The only thing that I now think is derogatory is the fact that they wanted to restrict usage of toilets by salary grade.

Condemn the racist PC!!

 

[parijataka]

Why is it left wing to criticise 35 lakh toilets? And why the smart card access ? Sarkari Babus should use the same kind of facilities that the aam admi is getting.

 

[parijataka]

Why is it left wing to criticise 35 lakh toilets? And why the smart card access ? Sarkari Babus should use the same kind of facilities that the aam admi is getting.

A comment in today's TOI compares MSA to Marie Antoinette and says he deserves the same fate as her. Reflects the common man's frustration at corruption, non-existent/crumbling/badly maintained public amenities etc. If our babus and politicians continue in this manner thinking nobody can get them due to our horrible law enforcement and judiciary, then more and more citizens will be taking law into their own hands. As it is rural poor are turning to naxalites in many areas, we may yet see urban middle class naxalites!

 

[Ray]

Refurbished or not, the toilets have surely raised a huge stink!

 

[ejazr]

Apparently its not 2 toilets but a bloc of 40 toilets including 2 disabled access toilets inclduing replacing of 50-year old pipelines

So that is about 80,000 Rs per toilet including the works for the plumbing. Looks much reasonable than the 35 lakh intial figure for 2 toilets

Rs 35 lakh spending: 50-yr-old toilets needed repair, says Montek Singh Ahluwalia


@Sakal Gharelu Ustad
I don't know if it should be called a left wing sabotage but if the news report was dileberate mislead to report 2 toilets when actually it was a total of 42, then there does seem to be an underhanded way to target Montek Singh.