PIB News Update: News has been published in some dailies on allotment/retention of Bungalow No.27, Safdarjung Road occupied by former Minister of Education Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal. It is a usual practice followed by the Directorate of Estates to offer alternate houses as per entitlement to the ex-Ministers, so that the new Ministers could be accommodated in those houses. Following this practice, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal was offered alternate house as per guidelines applicable for ex-Ministers, who are Members of Parliament.
The news item published in dailies that as per the Directorate of Estates Rule Book,Type-VIII Bungalows can be allotted to sitting Rajya Sabha MPs is not correct. As per Guidelines of the Directorate of Estates issued on 24.10.1985, after the approval of Cabinet Committee on Accommodation held on12.09.1985, it had been conveyed that in future, no allotment of type-VIII bungalow will be made from the general pool to any member of parliament without the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation. Further, Members who are ex-Governors, ex-Chief Ministers and ex-Cabinet Ministers of the Centre, ex-Speaker of the Lok Sabha, ex-Judges of the Supreme Court may be allotted houses of category-VII depending on availability.
Publication in news daily giving an impression that some former Ministers wants to retain a particular house is mischievous. Allotment of Bungalows to former or present Union Ministers is regular exercise done by the Directorate of Estates as per Rules/instructions of the Government.