Congress Starts Austerity Drive, Asks MPs To Contribute Rs 50,000 A Year

Secretary and general secretary allowances of Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 will be cut down too, the Congress said.

From urging parliamentarians to use their air travel benefits instead of charging the party, to donating Rs 50,000 a year to the party's coffers, the opposition Congress party has announced a range of measures to cut costs and raise funds. Facing a lack of funds, the party has announced austerity guidelines for all party functionaries from secretaries to general secretaries. "The idea is to keep expenditure to the minimum. I am trying to save every rupee," said Congress treasurer Pawan Bansal. Secretaries have been asked to travel by train and when not possible at the lowest airfare. General secretaries, who are members of parliament, have been asked to use their air travel benefits for travelling. "Secretaries, AICC would be reimbursed suitable train fare up to 1,400 km. For distances above 1,400 km, the Secretaries would be given the lowest airfare. The airfare will be given twice in a month only if the train fare is more than the airfare, they may choose to travel by air," a Congress memo seen by NDTV read.