One silent reform slips in, MPs can no longer milk PSUs

And that MPs should be, if at all,gifted ‘‘simple’’ mementos, not cellphones, Samsonite suitcases or luxurious blankets as is the norm.

This comes at a time when PSUs have been alleging pressure from their political Bosses prompting Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shankar to take up the matter with the Prime Minister and suggesting key reforms to bring in a culture of corporate governance.

Speaking to The Indian Express from Mumbai, Speaker Manohar Joshi said that although Shekhawat’s proposal reached him a few days ago, it was decided that the new rule be introduced in the next Lok Sabha.

He added, however, that already letters have been sent by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to the various Parliamentary Committees that all hospitality bills be taken care of by Parliament. ‘‘We have also told the Committees that members should not take any gifts from the PSUs,’’ said Joshi.

Sources said Shekhawat first floated he idea in August last year after verbal complaints from the PSU Chiefs and reports alleging that Parliamentary Committees make hay while on a visit to a PSU.

Although the Committee members use air-tickets from their travel quota, ballpark estimates suggest Rs 30-40 crore was spent in Parliamentary Committee visits in 2003.

For instance, a Parliamentary Committee visited a defence establishment and an IOC LPG terminal in Sikkim late last year. The members were airlifted from Bagdogra airport to Gangtok by a helicopter but rather than directly go to official meetings, the members decided to visit Nathu La. The PSU officials had to wait until late evening to brief the committee members.

While rules say that committee members should stay at circuit houses or guest houses and only in hotels as a last resort, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) often put up their MP guests in five-star hotels with air-conditioned taxis as transport.

At present, there are 17 department Parliamentary Committees (11 headed by Lok Sabha MP and six headed by Upper House MPs) with 30 members from Lok Sabha and 15 from Rajya Sabha.

There are 10 House Committees such as Privilege Committee, Petition Committee or Business Advisory Committee. In addition to this, there are 8-9 joint committees.