SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL
(Guinness Record Holder & RTI Activist)
It refers to welcome move of gifts (including much talked-about pin-striped suit) received by Prime Minister Narender Modi being auctioned in Surat on 18th, 19th and 20th February 2015 for a good cause of cleaning river Ganga.
But it would have been better if in future care may be taken to follow rules framed in this regard in the Union government which mention that all gifts valued over rupees 5000 each received by those on public-posts should be deposited with Toshakhana in case person having received the gift does not deposit for the additional amount above rupees 5000 of total value of the gift in government-treasurery.
However there must be too many gifts by now deposited in Toshakhana gathering dust apart from occupying space. Systematic procedure should be formulated whereby either some museum may be set up to display such gifts. Alternatively there may be frequent auction of such gifts preferably during tenure of the person/s on the posts when they might have received such gifts, because auction can fetch more money only when gifts are auctioned during the tenure of persons occupying posts!
