Ranchi, June 17: After makaan, the Jharkhand government has solved the problem of rotis for its high-profile guests in Delhi.

VIPs putting up in plush Delhi hotels and guest-houses need not hunt for dhabas offering cheap food at reasonable rates any more. The new 25-room state guest house hired for a “nominal” rent of Rs 6 lakh a month at Safdarjung Enclave will also cater food at affordable rates.

The government today solved a major problem of dignitaries visiting the national capital, who were provided plush accommodation, but were given a pittance to cover food expenses. Such was the condition that guests either went to the nearby dhabas or sent their official cars to get food from outside. Even the Jharkhand High Court had taken note of the fact that guests staying at plush hotels could not afford even a cup of tea. According to an agreement signed with the guest house proprietor today, the rate of food items will be on par with the official guest houses of other states like Andhra Bhawan and Bihar Bhawan. A thalee will cost Rs 30 while a cup of tea will cost Rs 2.

The other highlights of the privately-run guest house is that the government will pay the telephone bills while guests will bear the food expenses. Everything else will be borne by the proprietor. Local phone calls will be free for guests. Officials and ministers welcomed the move. A minister said, “I avoided going to Delhi because food was a major problem. Either we had to go out for food or had to fetch food from outside. There have been occasions when I was forced to have roasted chicken with tandoori roti. Imagine having cold and crispy rotis with dry chicken. I even carried sattu and sauce for any such emergency. We are not paid any special allowance for our Delhi visits and had to shell out from our pockets,” the minister said.

A senior IAS official said: “I prefer staying with my children studying in Delhi. Many times I skip meals than have food at the hotels. The officers, who get Rs

80- Rs 100 as daily food allowance, are forced to eat at cheap dhabas serving tasty food.”

Sources in the building construction department said: “Earlier the government spent over Rs 10 lakh a month to keep its visitors in Delhi. The new guest house has solved the problem of hunting for rooms, when visitors reach Delhi on the same day. The guest-house will also have the Jharkhand government’s resident commissioner’s office, which is presently lodged at Hotel Ashoka.

“This is a perfect example of outsourcing while saving government money,” an official said. Anand Niketan, the Coal India Limited guest house, was in a bad shape. “Let alone maintenance, guests also had to battle mosquitoes and cockroaches. The hospitality was also very poor,” he said.