Highlights
- Ram Nath Kovind moved to his new residence at Janpath road after demitting office
- Kovind was driven down to his new home from Rashtrapati Bhavan
- The bungalow was readied for him as his post-retirement home
President Kovind retires: President Ram Nath Kovind demitted office on Monday after serving as India's 14th President but he will still be entitled to a host of benefits as his retirement perks for serving at the highest constitutional post of the country. Droupadi Murmu, a BJP tribal leader and former Jharkhand Governor sworn in as the 15th President of India in the historic swearing-in. While the new President is in the house, let's take a look at the perks, and benefits entitled to a former President of the country.
List of perks President Kovind is entitled too:
- President Kovind is entitled to a fully furnished bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi which will be his home for the rest of his life.
- He will be entitled to a monthly pension of Rs 2.5 lakh.
- Kovind is also entitled to secretarial staff comprising a private secretary, an additional private secretary, a personal assistant and two peons, and office expenses up to Rs 1 lakh per annum.
- According to The President's Emoluments And Pension Act, 1951, uploaded on https://legislative.gov.in/, the retired president is entitled to free medical attendance and treatment, and to the highest class travel anywhere in India, accompanied by one person, by air, rail, or steamer.
- The President of India gets a salary of Rs 5 lakh every month. A former President who demits office either after expiration of his term or by resignation gets a pension at the rate of 50 per cent of the emoluments of the President per month for the rest of his or her life, according to the Act.
- Kovind, as per the laid down procedure, is entitled to a Type-VIII bungalow and has been allotted 12-Janpath.
- According to the 1951 Act, a retired President will, for the rest of his or her life, be entitled to the use of a furnished residence (including its maintenance) without payment of rent, two telephones (one for internet and broadband connectivity), one mobile phone with national roaming facility, and a car, or allowance to avail a car.
- The law says that the spouse of the President is entitled to get a family pension at the rate of 50 per cent of what a retiring President gets, for the rest of her/his life, in case the president dies in office, or resigns, or demits office after the end of the term.
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- The spouse is also entitled to medical attendance and treatment free of charge for the rest of his or her life. Such spouse will be entitled to the use of a furnished residence (including its maintenance) without the payment of licence fees.
- He or she is also entitled to a secretarial staff consisting of a private secretary and a peon, and office expenses up to Rs 20,000 per annum.
- The spouse, quite like the retired President, is entitled to a free telephone and a car, or such car allowance for the rest of his or her life, and is allowed 12 top class single journeys anywhere in the country, by air, rail, or steamer, accompanied by a companion or a relative.
(With inputs from PTI)
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