Legislative Council members’ hostel on Daroga Prasad Path in Patna. Telegraph picture

Patna, Sept. 13: Legislators might get Rs 35,000 per month for staying in rented accommodation till their duplex bungalows were ready for possession.

If the government gives a green light to the proposal of monthly rent, they would be provided the amount till the construction of the bungalows are complete.

The proposal was discussed on Tuesday at a high-level meeting attended by Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary, Council chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh, parliamentary affairs minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Abdul Bari Siddiqui and officials of the building construction department, parliamentary affairs and finance department.

“There is a proposal to provide Rs 35,000 as rent to the legislators. This would include all facilities like electricity, water bill and others. Now the proposal would be sent to the parliamentary affairs department. Ultimately, the government has to take a final call on the quantum of the rent,” a source told The Telegraph.

The proposal is meant for those legislators, who would not be given alternate accommodation, sources added.

According to sources, the government is contemplating demolishing old flats from October 1 to start construction for the duplex bungalows. When asked about the provision of giving notice to the legislators for vacating their flats, an official said legislators have already been informed and even the cabinet had taken a decision in this regard earlier.

The state cabinet on December 20 last year had taken a decision to build 325 duplex bungalows at an estimated cost of Rs 307.73 crore for members of the Assembly and Council. The members, majority of who reside in flats except a few who get bungalows, would get the duplex accommodation. The bungalows would be ready within two years from the date of awarding of the project. The construction is expected to start in October-November.

The flats, which would be razed, are located on R-Block, Beer Chand Patel Path and Daroga Prasad Rai Path.

According to the decision taken in the cabinet, duplex bungalows, two hostels, community centres, clubs and other facilities would be constructed on 69.75 acres of land located at three places — R-Block (39.63 acres), Daroga Prasad Rai Path (23.25 acres) and Beer Chand Patel Path (5.97 acres) by demolishing the existing structures.

The proposed colony at R-Block would have 175 duplex bungalows, the one at Daroga Prasad Rai Path would have 128 bungalows and Beer Chand Patel Path would have the remaining.

The legislators, however, expressed mixed reactions to the proposal of being provided Rs 35000 as rent.

Muzaffarpur MLA Suresh Kumar Sharma said: “If one takes in to account the prevailing rate of rent in the state capital, I think that Rs 35,000 per month as fixed by the government seems sufficient enough.”

Shahpur (Bhojpur district) legislator Munni Devi said: “As of now, I can’t say whether accommodation will be available at Rs 35,000 or not but we will have to accept the proposal of the government.”