Canteen subsidy removed for Members of Parliament

NEW DELHI: Unanimously, a decision to let go of the subsidy that is being accommodated at the Parliament canteen has been taken by the Members of Parliament.

According to sources, it is said that the decision was taken after a suggestion from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

In a meeting which was held by the Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha, the members of all parties came to an agreement on dropping the idea of food subsidy in the canteen. Sources said Rs 17 crores could be saved annually with the decision.

At the Parliament, canteen food will now be sold at an actual cost. The cost, however, still doesn't come close to what an average individual would pay while eating out at their workplace or otherwise. The Items, after the removal of subsidy, are priced as follows:

In the year 2015, it was said that there was an 80% subsidy of the cost at the Parliament canteen.

On December 31, 2015, the Lok Sabha issued a statement: "After receiving the committee's report, the Speaker has taken a number of decisions, out of which the most important is that the canteen in Parliament will now work on 'no-profit, no-loss' basis. Accordingly, the rates of various food items have been increased and these would be sold at the actual cost of making."