Unverifiable: The New Central Vista project will save Rs 1,000 crore spent annually on rent expenditure.

By: Khagesh KG
June 21 2021

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Unverifiable: The New Central Vista project will save Rs 1,000 crore spent annually on rent expenditure.

Fact-Check

The Verdict Unverifiable

According to the petitioners, the Centre's assertion that Rs 1,000 cr per annum spent on rent is "assumptive and unsupported by a document".

Claim ID 8c1ddd52

According to the petitioners, the Centre's assertion that Rs 1,000 cr per annum spent on rent is "assumptive and unsupported by a document".The Central Vista project is a reconstruction project being handled by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs. It includes constructing a new structure for the Indian parliament, a joint central secretariat, new buildings for the Prime Minister and Vice-President residences, and revamping a three-kilometers stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan India Gate in Lutyens' Delhi, according to an Outlook India report. On November 03, 2020, while arguing its case before the Supreme Court, the Centre claimed that the project would "save" the rent money for housing Central government ministries in Delhi, the New Indian Express reported. The Centre cited the shortfall of about 3.8 lakh square meters in office space, resulting in an annual office rent bill of approximately Rs 1,000 crore. As per the government's calculations, such costs could be reduced by creating a shared secretariat for 51 ministries. The petitioners, on the other hand, submitted that the government had not undertaken a cost-benefit analysis. They added that the assertion that rupees one thousand crores per annum is being spent on rent is "assumptive and is unsupported by any document," according to the official document on the court proceedings. On January 3, 2021, the Supreme Court gave its nod to the project and directed the project proponents to get approval from the heritage committee, the news service division of the All-India Radio reported. On January 12, the Heritage Conservation Committee consisting of 14 members granted permission for the project, according to a Financial Express report. However, until the government makes its annual rent expenditure reports public, it cannot be ascertained that the New Central Vista project will save Rs 1,000 crore spent annually on rent expenditure. Therefore, the claim is unverifiable.

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