The Central Government is trying to reduce the poverty level, minimum wage etc. and Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission and even the Prime Minister go on justifying the same. But when it comes to any expenditure for them, there is no limit.

Take the case of Travelling Allowance of the Very Very Important Personalities (VVIPs), which includes the President, Prime Minister, cabinet Ministers etc. Last year the expenditure increased to Rs. 499.9 crore from the earlier year of 46.95 Crore. If the Cabinet Secretariat and the PMO is included, it increased from Rs, 152.4 crore to Rs 606.6  crore in 2011-12.

There is the call of the austrity by the government. But in the case VVIPs there is an extraordinary increae in all expenditures. The austerity is only for the toiling masses and not for the big people. The new kind of democracy