Peanuts for them

The Department of Economic Affairs invited 22 leading industrialists, including Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Sunil Mittal, Ratan Tata and Azim Premji, to attend a pre-budget consultation with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on June 1. The interesting part about the invitation letter, sent out by the additional economic adviser, was the government’s offer to “reimburse return airfare (economy class) or actual rail/bus fare, as the case may be. In addition a lump sum of Rs 300 towards local transport and other incidental expenses will be paid to the invitees from outside Delhi.” It is doubtful if any of the multi -millionaires availed of the generous offer. Most, in fact, flew down for the meeting in their private jets.