As India moves closer to the presidential elections, an obvious debate on who will be the next Head of State is taking shape. The term of Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th President of India, ends in July next year.
Reports claiming finalisation of the President’s post-retirement home do suggest that the incumbent President may not get another term at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the Narendra Modi-led central government has already finalised a post-retirement home for Mukherjee. Bungalow No 34 on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, which earlier housed former Lok Sabha speaker late PA Sangma, will be his new home once he demits the office in July next year, the report claimed.
The Type-VIII bungalow, the highest category of government accommodation, currently houses Sangma’s son Conrad, who recently won Lok Sabha by-poll from Tura constituency in Meghalaya. But since the 38-yr-old politician is a first-time MP, he is not entitled to the Type VIII property.
The report further said that the Ministry of Urban Development has already requested Conrad to vacate the bungalow and offered him a Type IV house that he is entitled to.
“There aren’t too many Type-VIII bungalows available. The President still has some time left in his term. We have requested the Sangma family to vacate the house by then. The house might be revamped in case Mukherjee requires any changes, though we haven’t received any such request so far,” an official from the Ministry was quoted as saying in the report.
Mukherjee had in July 2012 defeated Sangma to get elected to the highest office. Sangma (68) passed away on March 4 earlier this year.
As per the President’s Pension Rules 1962, a retired President is entitled to the use of a furnished residence anywhere in India, free water and electricity for the remainder of his/her life. Apart from other entitlements like telephone, internet connection, etc., a retired President is also entitled to office staff, a car (if he uses his own car, he can claim up to 250 litres of petrol every month) and the salary of a driver.
