Rajya Sabha members are entitled to benefits under 21 different expenditure heads

NEW DELHI: Over Rs 262 crore spent on Rajya Sabha MPs’ salaries, allowances and other benefits during the last two financial years, with more than Rs 151 crore going towards allowances and travel alone, according to a reply obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.The RTI response showed that expenditure on sitting Rajya Sabha members rose sharply from more than Rs 98 crore in 2024-25 to over Rs 163 crore in 2025-26, marking an increase of nearly Rs 65 crore in a year.The expenditure covered salaries, domestic and international travel, office expenses, medical reimbursements and other facilities provided to MPs.In 2024-25, the government spent over Rs 25.71 crore on salaries, Rs 8.2 crore on medical bills, Rs 24.99 crore on travel expenses and more than Rs 33.33 crore on allowances.In 2025-26, salaries increased to over Rs 44.6 crore, while medical bills stood at Rs 9.6 crore. Travel expenses rose to Rs 36 crore, and allowances exceeded Rs 58.78 crore, according to the reply provided by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in response to an RTI application filed by Chander Shekhar Gaur.Rajya Sabha members are entitled to benefits under 21 different expenditure heads, including salaries, allowances, domestic and foreign travel, office expenses and medical reimbursements.Other expenditure heads include printing and publication, digital equipment, fuel and lubricants, professional services, repair and maintenance, subsidies and other revenue-related expenses.