Budget: Rs 1249 Crore For Salaries Of Union Ministers, Entertainment Of Guests, Ex-Governors

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New Delhi: The interim budget 2024-25 on Thursday allocated Rs 1,248.91 for the expenses incurred by the council of ministers, cabinet secretariat, prime minister's office, and on hospitality and entertainment of State guests.

The allocated amount is substantially lower than Rs 1803.01 crore earmarked in 2023-24. A total of Rs 832.81 crore has been given for the expenses of council of ministers (Rs 1289.28 crore in 2023-24). ()

The provision is for expenditure on salaries, sumptuary and other allowances and travel by cabinet ministers, ministers of state and ex-prime ministers. This also includes provision for special extra session flight operations for VVIPs. ()

The National Security Council Secretariat has been allocated Rs 200 crore (Rs 299.30 crore in 2023-24). The provision is for meeting the administrative expenses and space programme of the National Security Council Secretariat.

As much as Rs 76.20 crore has been given to the office of principal scientific advisor (Rs 75 crore in 2023-24). The provision is for meeting the administrative expenses of the office of principal scientific advisor and national research foundation.

The cabinet secretariat has been allocated Rs 70 crore (Rs 70.28 crore in 2023-24) for meeting the administrative expenses those of the Chemical Weapons Convention(CWC). The prime minister's office has been allocated Rs 65.30 crore (Rs 62.65 crore in 2023-24) for meeting the administrative expenses.

The budget has given Rs 4 crore for hospitality and entertainment expenses (Rs 4 crore in 2023-24). This provision is for expenditure on government hospitality and entertainment of foreign state guests, official entertainment arranged at Rashtrapati Bhawan on behalf of the vice president and prime minister, reception on national days, investiture and ceremonies for presentation of credentials, etc.

The budget allocated Rs 1.80 crore for secretariat assistance to former governors (Rs 1.30 crore in 2023-24). This provision is for expenditure on payments of secretariat assistance to ex-governors.