The Times of India: NEW DELHI/PUNE: Friday, April 13, 2012.
The President's office has denied any wrongdoing in the allocation of a large plot of land in Pune's Khadki Cantonment for Pratibha Patil's post-retirement home. She demits office in July. The statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan came on Thursday in response to a campaign by a group of ex-servicemen alleging it was unfair to fence off "five acres" of military land for Patil when there is a severe housing shortage for military personnel.
"No illegality has been committed," the statement signed by the President's officer on special duty (PR) Archana Dutta said. "The land has been allotted to the President for use during her lifetime and will continue to belong to the defence ministry," it said rebutting charges that the plot had been "given" to the President.
However, there were discrepancies about how much the President was entitled to after exiting Rashtrapati Bhawan. Suresh Patil, a retired Colonel now associated with Pune-based NGO Justice for Jawans, claimed the land measures over 2.60 lakh square feet. He alleged that a house with a plinth area of 4,500 square feet was being built by bringing down two British-era country bungalows.
In reply to an RTI by Patil, the government is quoted by him as having said that under the President's Emoluments and Pension Act 1951 and the President's Pension Rule 1961, a retired President was eligible to a bungalow of up to 4,498 sq ft where such government-owned accommodation was available. If the President chose to retire to a place where such accommodation was not available, a living area of up to 2,000 sq ft could be rented.
Thursday's Rashtrapati Bhawan release denied the claim that Patil had been allotted six times the size of land she is eligible for. It said the President was entitled to a Type VIII accommodation.
But Suresh Patil is citing the government's RTI reply to dispute this: "A place where government-owned accommodation is allotted to a retired president, the size of the residence is comparable to a residence allotted to a minister in the Union council of ministers and if the highest type of government residence available at a particular place is less in size than a residence allotted to a minister in the Union council of ministers, the highest type of accommodation available at that place shall be allotted to the ex-president. At present, a minister is entitled to a plinth area of the bungalow as 4,498 sq ft...Where suitable government residence is not available for allotment to a retired president, the size of the residence to be taken on lease to be provided to a retired president shall have a living area not exceeding 2,000 sq ft."
Last year in August, a Pune court had rejected the plea of Pesi Anklesaria of Khadki to stay the government's "resumption notice" for acquiring a bungalow at Khadki for the President. Anklesaria had claimed ownership of the land on which the accommodation for the President is being set up.
Dutta's statement said there were two adjoining bungalows, one of which was beyond repair and therefore had to be torn down. "Some repairs are being undertaken in the other bungalow," she added.
"To say that a house is being constructed for occupation by the President on demission of office by snatching or grabbing land meant for soldiers is factually incorrect and malicious. The land belongs to the ministry of defence and will continue remain with the ministry of defence," the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said. The title of the land was not being alienated in any manner, it added.
Under rules, a former President is entitled to a furnished bungalow anywhere in the country. A senior Pune-based officer dealing with defence estates, Thomas Arockinathan, had earlier told TOI: "The government is supposed to provide accommodation to the President as per the President (Emoluments and Pension) Act, 1951. We have initiated the procedure...as per directions of the defence ministry."
Soon after last year's court order, Arockinathan said: "The government has followed proper procedure for resuming the bungalow. We have deposited a cheque of Rs 1,60,949 as cost of the building erected on the land at S.No. 226 (bungalow no. 26/A) before the court."
"No illegality has been committed," the statement signed by the President's officer on special duty (PR) Archana Dutta said. "The land has been allotted to the President for use during her lifetime and will continue to belong to the defence ministry," it said rebutting charges that the plot had been "given" to the President.
However, there were discrepancies about how much the President was entitled to after exiting Rashtrapati Bhawan. Suresh Patil, a retired Colonel now associated with Pune-based NGO Justice for Jawans, claimed the land measures over 2.60 lakh square feet. He alleged that a house with a plinth area of 4,500 square feet was being built by bringing down two British-era country bungalows.
In reply to an RTI by Patil, the government is quoted by him as having said that under the President's Emoluments and Pension Act 1951 and the President's Pension Rule 1961, a retired President was eligible to a bungalow of up to 4,498 sq ft where such government-owned accommodation was available. If the President chose to retire to a place where such accommodation was not available, a living area of up to 2,000 sq ft could be rented.
Thursday's Rashtrapati Bhawan release denied the claim that Patil had been allotted six times the size of land she is eligible for. It said the President was entitled to a Type VIII accommodation.
But Suresh Patil is citing the government's RTI reply to dispute this: "A place where government-owned accommodation is allotted to a retired president, the size of the residence is comparable to a residence allotted to a minister in the Union council of ministers and if the highest type of government residence available at a particular place is less in size than a residence allotted to a minister in the Union council of ministers, the highest type of accommodation available at that place shall be allotted to the ex-president. At present, a minister is entitled to a plinth area of the bungalow as 4,498 sq ft...Where suitable government residence is not available for allotment to a retired president, the size of the residence to be taken on lease to be provided to a retired president shall have a living area not exceeding 2,000 sq ft."
Last year in August, a Pune court had rejected the plea of Pesi Anklesaria of Khadki to stay the government's "resumption notice" for acquiring a bungalow at Khadki for the President. Anklesaria had claimed ownership of the land on which the accommodation for the President is being set up.
Dutta's statement said there were two adjoining bungalows, one of which was beyond repair and therefore had to be torn down. "Some repairs are being undertaken in the other bungalow," she added.
"To say that a house is being constructed for occupation by the President on demission of office by snatching or grabbing land meant for soldiers is factually incorrect and malicious. The land belongs to the ministry of defence and will continue remain with the ministry of defence," the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said. The title of the land was not being alienated in any manner, it added.
Under rules, a former President is entitled to a furnished bungalow anywhere in the country. A senior Pune-based officer dealing with defence estates, Thomas Arockinathan, had earlier told TOI: "The government is supposed to provide accommodation to the President as per the President (Emoluments and Pension) Act, 1951. We have initiated the procedure...as per directions of the defence ministry."
Soon after last year's court order, Arockinathan said: "The government has followed proper procedure for resuming the bungalow. We have deposited a cheque of Rs 1,60,949 as cost of the building erected on the land at S.No. 226 (bungalow no. 26/A) before the court."
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