Chennai: Tamil Nadu govt has fixed a ceiling of ₹26 lakh for the purchase of cars for ministers, assembly speaker, deputy speaker, leader of the opposition and chief govt whip while Rs 15 lakh has been fixed as the cap for MLAs. The ceiling which includes the ex-showroom price, taxes, registration fee and motor vehicle insurance premium will be revised upwards by 5% annually.The govt has issued a gazette notification early this month amending the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Travelling Allowance Rules, paving the way for the implementation of chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s announcement in the assembly on providing cars for the MLAs.The govt would spend over ₹10 crore on cars for 35 ministers, including the chief minister, and four others – Speaker, deputy Speaker, leader of the opposition and chief govt whip. A sum of around ₹29.25 crore would be spent on cars for the remaining MLAs. The total expenditure on the 234 vehicles would be around ₹40 crore, excluding any additional recurring costs.Cars for ministers would be purchased in the name of govt, while vehicles for the rest will be procured in the name of the secretary of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat, according to the notification issued by Public Department secretary E Sundaravalli on Oct 1.Vijay’s announcement followed a request for cars to all legislators by VCK MLA L E Jothimani, who represents Kattumannarkoil. The request and subsequent assurance by the govt triggered a political debate with Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin declaring that he and DMK MLAs, totally 59 members, would not require the vehicles as the state was reeling under financial stress. Left party MLAs too expressed their unwillingness to accept the cars.
