Rs 1,248.91 crore for salaries of union ministers, entertainment for state guests, budget allocation, salaries of union ministers, state guests, union budget 2024, highlights

New Delhi: The Union Budget 2024-25 has allocated Rs 1,248.91 crore for expenditure related to the Council of Ministers, Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office as well as for hospitality and entertainment of state guests. This allocation represents a significant drop from the Rs 1,803.01 crore set aside in the previous fiscal (2023-24).

A total of Rs 828.36 crore has been allocated for the expenditure of the Council of Ministers, down from Rs 1,289.28 crore in 2023-24. This allocation covers expenses such as salaries, luxury and other allowances, and travel expenses for ministers, state ministers and former prime ministers. It also includes provisions for special extra session flight operations for VVIPs.

The National Security Council Secretariat has been allocated Rs 202.10 crore for the financial year 2024-25, down from Rs 299.30 crore in 2023-24. This funding is intended to cover administrative expenditure and the space programme of the National Security Council Secretariat.

A total of Rs 72.11 crore has been allocated for the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor for the financial year 2024-25, compared to Rs 76.20 crore in 2023-24. This provision is intended to meet the administrative expenses of the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor and the National Research Foundation.

The Cabinet Secretariat has been allocated Rs 75.24 crore for the financial year 2024-25, up from Rs 70.28 crore in 2023-24. This allocation is for meeting administrative expenditure relating to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The Prime Minister’s Office has been allocated Rs 65.30 crore for administrative expenses in the financial year 2024-25, compared to Rs 62.65 crore in 2023-24.

Moreover, the budget has earmarked Rs 4 crore for hospitality and entertainment expenditure, which is equal to the allocation for the previous financial year 2023-24.

This allocation is intended for expenditure related to government hospitality and entertainment for foreign state guests, official functions held on behalf of the Vice-President and the Prime Minister at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, receptions on national holidays, investiture ceremonies and presentation of credentials, besides other events.

Additionally, the budget has earmarked Rs 1.80 crore for secretarial support payments to former governors, an increase from Rs 1.30 crore allocated in 2023-24.

PTI