Wardrobe overhaul! Lok Sabha employees to get annual uniform allowance
In a first, Lok Sabha employees will get an annual uniform allowance now and will also be allowed to select their uniforms. Earlier, these employees only received cut pieces of cloth once in two years and had to get them sewn by a handful of impaneled tailors. But they will now get a uniform allowance depending on the rank and profile of their job.
Who all are eligible for this uniform allowance?
All employees who hold jobs in the key five branches in the Parliament Secretariat, including reporting, table office, and security, will be eligible for this new scheme. An official who wished to remain anonymous said that since these particular branches deal "with MPs and other visitors," the uniforms of the employees should "add to the dignity and glamor of the Indian Parliament."
The officer explains why this move has been taken
"These branches deal with MPs [Members of Parliament] and other visitors. They are the face of the Parliament secretariat and so they have a set uniforms that add to the dignity and glamour of the Indian Parliament," said the official.
Employees will be able to buy uniform whenever they need
As mentioned before, the Lok Sabha employees used to be handed uniform cloth once in every two years. But now, they will be able to get new uniforms whenever they want. Male employees are allowed to wear safari suits in blue, fawn, charcoal, and Prussian blue colors (depending on their branch), while women should wear fixed-pattern sarees. In winter, both wear coats and blazers.
Higher allowance for Parliament security service employees
Of all the offices, the employees of the Parliament security service will reportedly be receiving a particularly generous allowance. Women in security services will receive an allowance of Rs. 17,000 and men will get Rs. 16,000. The chamber attendants will receive a sum of Rs. 8,000, while drivers get Rs. 7,000. Amounts for the table office and reporting branch employees are not known yet.
