‘Cash strapped’ Congress to ask workers to contribute Rs 250 annually

Congress workers will now be asked to contribute Rs 250 annually to the party, in an apparent move to tide over the resource crunch.

Each worker will be asked to contribute the amount every year as the party plans to make itself self-sufficient, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora said.

The Congress veteran said 25 <g data-gr-id="20">per cent</g> of the contributions so made will go the Pradesh Congress Committees and 75 <g data-gr-id="21">per cent</g> to the AICC.

He indicated the plan will be set in motion once the membership drive, which is underway, concludes. Party’s organisational polls, which were to start last month, have been put on hold till further orders. 

At present, each party MP and MLA is required to pay one month’s salary to the <g data-gr-id="24">organisation,</g> while each AICC member has to contribute Rs 600 annually to the party coffer. A PCC member has to contribute Rs 300 to the state unit.

The new rule will make it mandatory for all state units to distribute 50 per cent of the contributions received by them to the district units.

Some 12 years back, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had constituted a committee on party’s finances under Manmohan Singh when the party was in the opposition at the Centre.

The committee, which had found the prevailing provisions concerning contributions from active members cumbersome and impractical, had made several suggestions.