Residence of Ministers

(1) Every Minister shall be provided with a free-furnished residence with grounds appurtenant thereto, in Kohima throughout the year, and also at any other place which the State Government may, from time to time, for the purpose of this Act declare to be the headquarters of Government, for so long as each such declaration remains in force. (2) Such residence and the grounds appurtenant thereto, shall be maintained at the public expense which shall not exceed the amount prescribed by rules : Provided that if the Chief Minister, a Minister, Minister of State, Deputy Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, does not occupy the free furnished residence provided by the Government, a house rent allowance at the rate of rupees two hundred and fifty per mensem in the case of Chief Minister, at the rate of rupees two hundred and fifty per mensem in te cae of a Minister and Minister of State, at the rate of rupees two hundred per mensem in case of a Deputy Minister and at the rate of rupees one hundred and fifty per mensem in the case of a Parliamentary Secretary and such service allowances as may be prescribed by rules shall be paid in lieu of such residence. Explanation.- For the purpose of this section the expression “the public expense” shall include such expenses as may be prescribed by rules.