MPs asked to vacate Ashok Hotel after Budget Session

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the Lok Sabha Housing Committee is making all efforts to ensure that about 30 Lok Sabha MPs, who are still staying in the Ashok Hotel, move into their alloted official accommodation.
He said the Members are being informed that it may not be possible to pay for the hotel accommodation after the Budget session. "Instructions have been passed to vacate the Ashok Hotel by May 8 for Lok Sabha MP and May 13 for Rajya Sabha MP," Naidu said.
About 315 first-time Lok Sabha MPs were accommodated in the ITDC-run Ashok Hotel after the elections last year as they are entitled to government accommodation under the rules. Of them only 30 continue to stay in the hotel.

So far the government has released about Rs 35.75 crore for transit accommodation of MPs between 1990-91 and 2013-14. Government sources said the outstanding bill from ITDC-run hotels and state guest houses would be another Rs 20-25 crore.
Earlier ITDC had raised the issue of the high outstanding amount, which has become unbearable for it.
Naidu said expenditure on hotel stay for MPs can be reduced by providing hotel accommodation only during the parliament session or when they come for parliamentary committee meeting.

Ashok Hotel was charging Rs 7,000 per day only for accommodation till September 2014, and now it has been increased to Rs 9,000.

He said the Urban Development Ministry is not concerned with the accommodation of MPs as it is the responsibility of respective Housing Committees. "The UD Ministry is concerned with the accommodation of ministers, judges, Chairmen of various tribunals and statutory bodies."
He said CPWD has been instructed to do the needful for making the house alloted to the members ready to occupy by undertaking repair works as per the rules.