Droupadi Murmu Elected India's President: What Will Be Her Salary, Allowances, Official Vehicle?

Droupadi Murmu defeated her rival Yashwant Sinha by bagging 540 of the total 748 valid votes to become the 15th President of India.

Droupadi Murmu

Source : PTI

New Delhi: NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu clinched the country’s highest constitutional post after defeating her rival and joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha on Thursday. Droupadi Murmu’s ascent as the 15^th elected President of India makes her the first tribal and the second woman after Pratibha Devisingh Patil to hold the coveted post. But as India elects its 15^th President, we wonder what would be the monthly salary of Murmu, where would she live, which car will she travel in? Here are the details of a President’s life.

What is the Eligibility To Become A President?

According to the Indian Constitution, a person can be eligible for election if he/she is:

• A citizen of India
• Has completed the age of 35 years
• Is qualified for election as a Member of the House of People (Lok Sabha)
• A person will not be eligible if he/she holds any office of profit under the Government of India or Government of any state

What Will Be The Salary?

Droupadi Murmu would be drawing a monthly salary of Rs 5 lakh. In 2018, the President’s salary was increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per month.

Where will she live?

Originally built as the Viceroy of India’s residence, the official address of the President will be Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is the 340-room main building that houses the president’s residence, reception halls, guest rooms, offices, apart from the sprawling President’s Estate that comprises large gardens, open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staffers, stables and other offices.

President’s Car

The President of India usually drives around in premium vehicles. The cars also have state-of-the-art security systems. The car is bullet and shockproof and it does not have a licence plate. Ramnath Kovind travels in Mercedes Maybach S600 Pullman Guard. The car can reportedly survive bullets, bombs, gas attacks and other explosives.

President’s Security

The President's Bodyguard, an elite unit of the Indian Armed Forces, protects the president of India. They are mostly from the three-armed services. Most of them are elite soldiers.

What are the Retirement Benefits?

The president gets a pension of at least Rs 1.5 lakh per year. President's spouse gets Rs 30,000 per month. They also get a rent-free bungalow to live in. They can keep up to five employees. 

What are the vacation retreats of the President?

There are two vacation retreats for the President of India, one in north and the other in south.

• The Retreat Building, Mashobra, Shimla

Located at Mashobra hilltop, the President visits this place at least once a year. The Retreat located thousands of feet higher than the Shimla Ridge Top, the structure is entirely made of wood and has a plinth area of 10,628 square feet.

• Bolarum, Hyderabad: Rashtrapati Nilayam

The Rashtrapati building in Bolarum was taken over from the Nizam of Hyderabad after Independence and handed over to the President’s Secretariat. It is a single-storey structure, with 11 rooms and spanning across an area of 90 acres.