Subramanian Swamy to get govt accommodation on security grounds

Swamy is a Z-category protectee and there is no place at his present place of residence for deployment of armed guards

Centre has decided to allot government accommodation to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on security considerations and also allowed former Punjab DGP K P S Gill and Chairman of Anti-Terrorism Front M S Bitta to retain their accommodations on the same grounds.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat has also been allowed to retain government accommodation in the national capital on medical grounds, according to the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday.

According to sources, CCA also decided to allot government accommodation to A Surya Prakash, Chairman of Prasar Bharati for the period of his tenure.

Sources informed that CCA has taken into consideration that Swamy is a Z-category protectee with CRPF cover and there is no place at his present place of residence for deployment of armed guards.

Swamy's security is being reviewed from time to time by Security Categorisation Committee in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

As per security threat assessment carried out by central security agency, there is a felt need for proper government accommodation for Swamy for effective deployment of security and accordingly recommended government accommodation for him for five years, the sources said.

The former Union Minister will have to pay five times the normal license fee.

Gill and Bitta were allowed to retain their present government accommodation for three more years - till May, 2018 based on security considerations at special license fee of five times the normal.

Uttarakhand CM Rawat has been permitted to retain government accommodation for one more year in New Delhi on medical grounds and keeping in view that state government guest house is being demolished.

CCA also decided to allot government accommodation for Surya Prakash, Chairman of Prasar Bharati keeping in view that appointment of Chairman and Members of the Board is made by the President of India on the recommendation of Selection Committee headed by Vice-President of India and key functions required to be performed including supervision of functioning of AIR and DD.

Present Members holding Personal and Finance portfolios have also been made eligible for accommodation. The committee noted that in the past former CEO and Members of Prasar Bharati and present CEO were allotted government accommodation.

Prakash and the two present members were made eligible for government accommodation for the period of their tenure.

Sources informed that CCA also made the Chairperson, Member and Member-Secretary of National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes eligible for government accommodation as also Chairperson of National Company Law Tribunal and DG, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghatan, an autonomous body under the Ministry of youth Affairs and Sports.