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| Priyanka was allotted a type VI government accommodation at 35, Lodhi Estate, on the recommendation of SPG in 1997, |
Three private citizens, Priyanka Gandhi, KPS Gill and M S Bitta occupy huge bungalows, at heart of Lutyens Delhi, paying a rent less than a fraction of the market price.
Both Gill, former Punjab DGP, and Bitta, All India Anti-Terrorist Front chief, face threat from Sikh extremists, while Priyanka is at risk due to her family background.
Protection of their lives is the responsibility of the government of India and their palatial accommodation has been sanctioned as per the centre's policy.
As Priyanka had pointed out in a letter to the Vajpayee government, she is not staying at the bungalow by choice, but on SPG request, which occupies the larger part of he bungalow allotted to her.
Information based on an RTI, published by The Times of India, reveals curious details about the governments attempts to fix a rent for these bungalows.
Priyanka was allotted a type VI government accommodation at 35, Lodhi Estate, on the recommendation of SPG in 1997, two years after her marriage at a rent of Rs 19,900 per month.
In 2002 the the Vajpayee government increased her rent to Rs 53,421, which she refused to pay saying it was beyond her capacity.
In 2003 the government acceded to her request. The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation decided in 2003 that security protectees may be charged a special licence fee for government accommodation well below the the market rates.
The monthly rent dropped respectively to Rs 8,888, Rs 10,715 and Rs 10,203 for Priyanka, Gill and Bitta.
The rent has since been revised periodically and at present, Priyanka pays Rs 31,300.