TNI Bureau: The Planning Commission, which estimated that a person earning Rs 28 per day is not coming under poverty line, has spent Rs 35 lakh for two toilets in its headquarters New Delhi.

The Yojana Bhavan explained why it spent Rs 35 lakh on renovating two toilets in its office. A press release issued by the planning commission states that the toilets are causing a stink of a different kind. The money has been spent for maintainace and upgradation of the toilets, which can be used by 10 people simultaneously.

In a response to an RTI, the planning commission said that Rs 5.19 lakh has been spent on installing a system to limit access to the swanky toilets to those people who had smart cards.

The toilets are not reserved for senior members. According to data given to RTI activist SC Agrawal, 60 smart cards were issued to Plan panel officials.

The planning commission has also decided to install CCTV cameras in the corridors leading to these toilets to ensure equipment was not stolen by anyone as there were instances of such activities in the washrooms.

Such a huge and wasteful expenditure is unacceptable. The planning commission was earlier criticised for its estimate that people earning Rs 32 and Rs 28 per day in urban and rural areas respectively should not fall under poverty line. The government body, which is spending a huge amount on a couple of toilets, is it possible for Indians to survive on sums less than Rs 32 per day?