Centre doubles funds for furnishing CJI, CEC official bungalows

The Centre has increased by a hundred per cent the funds provided for furnishing the official bungalows of the Chief Justice of India, other judges of the Supreme Court, the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, an official said.

As per the existing norms, the Chief Justice of India gets Rs 5 lakh for furnishing works at his official residence, but the fund has now been doubled to Rs 10 lakh, the official said.

Furnishing works include furniture and electrical appliances provided free of rent at the official residences of the CJI, the apex court judges, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the ECs, added the official.

He said that a communication has recently been sent by the Directorate of Estates to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Director General Prabhakar Singh in this regard.

The two agencies come under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

"Monetary ceilings have also been increased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh for house furnishing at the official residences of the judges of Supreme Court," another official said.

Similarly, for the official bungalows of the CEC and the Election Commissioners of India, the ministry has raised the ceilings to Rs 8 lakh from current Rs 4 lakh.

Sources said the revised ceilings would include all items of furniture and electrical appliances.

As per the official communication, if furniture and electrical appliances are provided to these dignitaries in "excess" of the revised ceilings, a rent will be recoverable for such items.

The CPWD is the government's largest construction agency and it looks after the maintenance of central government houses, buildings and erecting of fences on the country's international borders, among others.