Himachal: Ministers, MLAs to pay more for govt rest houses

SHIMLA: In a move to cut down luxuries and raise state resources, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has ordered that ministers, MLAs and top officials staying at Circuit houses in the state or government rest houses, will have to pay more.

The revised tariffs, a notification for which was issued this afternoon, have been raised to Rs 600 for circuit houses and Rs 500 per day for departmental rest houses in the districts.

The higher tariffs also cover the Chief Minister, judges of the High Court, MPs, Chairmen and vice-Chairmen of the Boards and corporations in Himachal Pradesh.

The tariff for the non-Himachali guests will be Rs 1100 per day/night at Circuit houses and Rs 1000 in case of the government rest houses.

State government circuit house at Shimla and hotel Peterhoff have been kept out of the tariff list as both are having a higher tariff fixed by the state cabinet earlier.

Earlier the tariff was charged at the rate of Rs 120-150 plus food expense for the ministers, MLAs, Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

The notification includes the former Chief Ministers, Ex-Ministers, former judges and former MLAs.

The central government employees and editors of National dailies and Journalists accredited to the state government will also be charged at higher rates.

Earlier after return to power, Sukhu had also ordered the revision of the tariffs for Himachal Bhawan at New Delhi, Chandigarh and Himachal Sadan at New Delhi. The MLAs and ministers were no exceptions.