BJD's Jay Panda bats for end of subsidy to MPs in Parliament canteens, writes to Speaker

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Jay Panda has become the first Parliamentarian to openly bat for giving up subsidy after revelations that MPs dine in Parliament at highly subsidised rates.

The Odisha MP posted a tweet saying he had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, calling for end of subsidy in Parliament canteens. In his letter to the Speaker, the MP proposed "the removal of food subsidy extended to Members of Parliament".

Panda hailed the recent initiative by the government "to encourage the voluntary giving up of subsidized cooking gas by those citizens who can afford to". Citing an example of the initiative, he said that "MPs too should be willing to give up the food subsidy extended".

"(I) believe the removal of the food subsidy for MPs will be a right step in effecting greater public trust and confidence in our role as lawmakers," said the BJD MP.

CNN-IBN had reported that food served in canteens is subsidised at almost Rs 14 crore a year.

This came even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the subsidy saying members of the media, officials and guests also avail the subsidy in Parliament canteens.

The ruling party had claimed that MPs only constitute 10-15 per cent of those who eat at the canteens.