All Ministers agree to be austere,but reluctantly

The issue came up for an impromptu discussion shortly after the Cabinet approved a hike in the Dearness Allowance for Central government employees. In the backdrop of the controversy over The Indian Express report about External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his deputy Shashi Tharoor staying in five-star hotels,Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar sought a clarification whether lunches and dinners for foreign delegations should not be organised in five-star hotels.

Mukherjee was quick to clarify that foreign dignitaries should be hosted “appropriately” but five-star hotels as venues should be avoided in case of meetings and conferences of government departments and ministries.

Farooq Abdullah,New and Renewable Energy Minister,questioned the rationale for austerity measures,arguing that he was a “tall man and could not travel Economy Class in flights.” There were smiles all around as suggestions came that there could be a separate set of austerity measures for taller men,said sources.

The discussion took a serious turn as Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran raised objections to some ministers availing of their entitlement to fly special aircraft. It was fine for the Prime Minister to fly by special aircraft but other ministers entitled to it — Home,Finance,Defence and External Affairs — should travel in commercial airlines,said Maran.

Commerce & Industries Minister Anand Sharma was learnt to have asked why ministers could not travel First Class. He argued that on foreign visits,Ministers needed to be “fresh” as they have meetings scheduled barely an hour after landing,said sources. He also pointed out that during Kargil,$25 had been deducted from the daily allowance of ministers on such visits but it was yet to be restored. Road Transport & Highways Minister Kamal Nath also seconded Sharma’s plea to allow ministers to travel in First Class during foreign visits,said sources.

Mukherjee was said to be visibly upset as he rejected his colleagues’ arguments,saying that these were unusual times and austerity measures were for one year only. The Finance Minister reminded his junior colleagues that even gold had to be mortgaged by the country in the past. These are tough times,said Mukherjee,asserting that the austerity measures would continue. Krishna remained silent right through the discussion.