Overstaying MPs asked to clear out from Ashok Hotel

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday 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 allotted official accommodation.

He said the members are being informed that it may not be possible to pay for the hotel accommodation after the Budget. “Instructions have been passed to vacate the Ashok Hotel by May 8 for Lok Sabha MPs and May 13 for Rajya Sabha MPs,” Naidu said. About 315 first-time Lok Sabha MPs were staying 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. The outstanding bill from ITDC-run hotels and state guest houses would be another Rs 20-25 crore, sources said. 

Earlier, ITDC had raised the issue of the high outstanding amount, which has become unbearable for it.