CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has created a dedicated annual budget allocation of Rs 6.85 crore for meeting protocol-related expenses incurred during visits by VVIPs, VIPs and senior government functionaries to districts. The provision, however, excludes the chief minister and state ministers.
The revenue and disaster management department, in an order issued on August 11, said there had been no separate budget provision so far exclusively for such protocol expenditure. District administrations were required to meet expenses for boarding, lodging and transportation within the existing limits.
When expenditure exceeded the prescribed ceiling, collectors had to incur the additional costs and subsequently seek approvals, leading to delays in the settlement of bills and other procedural difficulties.
It may be noted that the order comes amid complaints from revenue department employees that they were being forced to incur expenses from their own pockets to make arrangements for government functions and ministerial visits.
Under the existing rules, collectors were authorised to spend Rs 25,000 each on boarding, lodging and transportation, subject to an overall ceiling of Rs 50,000 for the three components together.
The government said the limits had become inadequate with an increase in the frequency and scale of visits by constitutional authorities, judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, government officials, international delegations and other dignitaries.