Jagdeep Dhankhar vacated his official residence and moved to a private farmhouse in the Chhatarpur area of South Delhi today, more than a month after he resigned as vice president. The private home belongs to Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala.
Mr Dhankhar’s stay in the farmhouse in the Gadaipur area is an interim arrangement until he is allotted a type-8 bungalow, entitled to a former vice president. He has been staying at the Vice-President’s Enclave near Parliament House till now.
Although he has been allotted a bungalow at 34 APJ Abdul Kalam Road, it will take about three months for it to be ready.
The 74-year-old has already written a letter to the Urban Development Ministry for government housing, seeking allotment of a government bungalow given to a former vice president as per the rules, sources said.
According to the information given by Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officials to the Vice President’s Secretariat, it will take three months to repair and decorate the Abdul Kalam Marg bungalow.
As per rules, former Presidents, former Vice Presidents and former Prime Ministers are given a type-8 bungalow in Lutyen Zone or 2 acres of land at their ancestral place.
In a surprise move, Mr Dhankhar resigned from his post on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon session, citing health reasons. His term was to end on August 10, 2027.
An election to pick his successor is scheduled to take place on September 9. In the vice-presidential election, NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan, the governor of Maharashtra, has been fielded against opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge.
Entitled To 3 Pensions
Mr Dhankhar also applied for a pension as a former legislator in Rajasthan recently. He represented the Kishangarh Assembly constituency as a Congress MLA from 1993 to 1998, and received a pension as a former legislator until July 2019. It was discontinued after he was appointed the governor of West Bengal.
As per officials, Mr Dhankhar is entitled to three pensions – as a former vice president, ex-MP and former member of the Rajasthan Assembly.
The pension for a former MLA in Rajasthan starts at Rs 35,000 per month for a single term, and goes up with additional terms and age. Those above 70 receive a 20 per cent hike. Mr Dhankhar, now 74, is entitled to a Rs 42,000 pension per month as a former legislator, the officials said.
Although he had also served as the governor of West Bengal, the post does not offer pension benefits. However, he can avail one secretarial staff for a monthly reimbursement of Rs 25,000 as a former governor.
Jagdeep Dhankhar had served as a member of the Lok Sabha representing Jhunjhunu constituency in Rajasthan from 1989 to 1991.
As a one-term MP, he is entitled to Rs 45,000 per month as pension, besides other benefits.