Congress to raise Rs. 50 crore corpus

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 9. The Congress today decided to raise a Rs. 50 crore corpus over the next two years through a system with integrity, transparency and accountability to finance its organisational activities.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today approved the recommendations of the Dr Manmohan Singh Committee set up by the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, to suggests ways to raise resources for the task.

``The CWC has endorsed the committee's recommendations to underscore the Congress commitment to probity in public life'' the party spokesman, Mr. Anand Sharma, told mediapersons after the meeting chaired by Ms. Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress president has been authorised to take necessary steps to implement the recommendations.

The corpus would be raised through contributions from party members, PCC and AICC delegates, MPs, MLAs, zila parishad heads, chairpersons of various boards, corporations and autonomous bodies and aspirants of party nominations for elections.

It is understood that the committee has recommended an annual graded subscription starting from Rs. 100 from 11 lakh active party members, Rs. 300 from PCC members and Rs. 600 from AICC delegates. Others like party MLAs and MPs and heads of various boards would have to contribute a month's salary, party sources said.

Aspirants for party tickets would have to shell out Rs. 10,000 with those belonging to SC/STs paying half of it.

The net annual expenditure of the party at all levels is estimated to be between Rs 7 to Rs 8 crores and if the system of subscription is enforced, the party could end up with a substantial revenue.

The party would also seek funds from public and corporate bodies, subject to the existing laws under the Companies Act and collect them only through cheque.

In order to raise funds from non-resident Indians under current laws, the party plans to set up a foundation to organise political education and training.

A recommendation to replicate the Kerala model of collecting funds through sale of coupons during designated fund raising campaign period was also accepted. Every year the drive would be start on December 21 and culminate on December 28, to coincide with its foundation day.

The Dr. Manmohan Singh Committee was set up after the Bangalore Plenary which was held in the backdrop of the Tehelka tapes exposure. Ms. Gandhi had announced there the Congress would take a lead to put in place a more transparent and honest system of financing political activities.

Mr. Sharma said as a premier political party in the country, the Congress has decided to take a pro-active leadership role in bringing about fundamental changes in the way both elections and normal political activities are conducted. However, with regard to State funding of elections, he said, the party had already expressed support to the move and it was upto the government to consider and pursue it.

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