Austerity will not affect security: Pranab

Bangalore: Despite the scepticism around it, austerity continues to be the buzzword in government circles.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday continued his defence of the Congress' austerity drive, saying that these measures along with larger plans would result in considerable government savings. He clarified however, that austerity did not mean security of top leaders would be compromised.

"Travelling economy class might be a drop in the ocean, but measures like the cut in non-Plan expenditure to the extent of 10 per cent could amount to huge savings for the government," Pranab said, adding, "But government efforts to protect the protected (those under SPG cover) should not be diluted."

Speaking at a press conference after addressing the CII at Bangalore, Pranab refused to be drawn into the Tharoor-Twitter controversy over ministers flying economy class.

His comments came in the backdrop of Congress President Sonia Gandhi travelling the economy class while flying to Mumbai and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi giving up executive class comfort and going in a chair car seat in the Shatabdi Express to Ludhiana recently.