Bihar cabinet's '2 official residence policy' for ministers, senior MLAs draws flak from opposition

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

• Bihar allows ministers and senior MLAs two official residences.
• Second residence offered at subsidised rent of around Rs 1,800-1,900 per month
• Opposition criticises move as unethical and favouring ruling party leaders

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The Bihar cabinet has given its nod to a policy which will permit cabinet ministers, senior MLAs and key assembly functionaries to have two official residences. The second accommodation will be provided at a highly subsidised rent, as per a report in Hindustan Times.

The move has been strongly criticised by the opposition leaders who believe it is 'unethical, inappropriate and uncalled for'. According to Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) spokesman Asit Nath Tiwari, houses with a rent worth lakhs are being given to the leaders for just Rs 1,700 a month.

"This is Nitish Kumar's version of socialism. Instead of providing homes to the poor, sweets (rewards/favours) are being distributed to ruling party leaders," Tiwari said.

Defending the policy, Bihar parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said that it about smart resource management and not perks. "We're simply putting vacant legislature-allotted homes to good use. These properties are designated for MLAs and MLCs based on their constituencies but often stay empty when occupants are given ministerial status and spacious bungalows from other departments," he told HT.

According to Chaudhary, who also serves as the building construction department (BCD) minister, the eligible legislators will cover their electricity and phone bills but the rent will be nominal.

"Why let constituency-specific houses deteriorate when they could be occupied? Under the new policy, eligible legislators — including ministers, the assembly speaker, deputy speaker, legislative council chairman and deputy, plus others with ministerial rank — can claim these spots for a nominal monthly rent of around Rs 1,800-1,900. They'll cover their own utilities, like electricity and phone bills, and the homes are strictly for residential use," he said.

The MLA complex comprises 243 homes, each 3,681 square feet large, one for each assembly seat, alongside 75 similar units for MLCs. Senior legislators, who are not in the cabinet but enjoy ministerial status, are also eligible for the additional residence.

Bihar's government housing framework operates through two separate pools: a central pool, managed by the Building Construction Department (BCD), which oversees allotments for ministers, and a legislative pool specifically meant for elected representatives.