300 exotic items up for grabs as MEA opens up its gift collection to public, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has opened its Toshakhana gift collection for a public e-auction, featuring approximately 300 items.
• The auction, which began on June 8 and concludes on June 30, includes items like a Rolex Yacht Master II, a silver dagger, and an Apple MacBook Pro.
• Prices for the items range from Rs 2,385 to Rs 17 lakh.
• This initiative marks the first time the general public can participate in such an auction, enabled by the revised Toshakhana Rules, 2024.
• Proceeds from the auction will be deposited into the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI).

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Detailed Insights:

• The Toshakhana serves as a repository for gifts received by Indian government functionaries from foreign sources and dignitaries.
• The term "Toshakhana" is of Persian origin, meaning "treasure house," and such repositories have historical roots in Mughal and British colonial administrations in India.
• The Toshakhana Rules, 2024, notified by the Ministry of External Affairs on March 26, 2024, govern the deposit, retention, and disposal of these gifts.
• Previously, the last auction of Toshakhana items in 1983 was restricted to government employees at the MEA headquarters.
• A committee determines the evaluation price of the items, and the base price for the auction includes this evaluation along with packing and delivery costs.
• The MEA plans subsequent auction rounds that will include gifts received by former External Affairs Ministers.
• The Consolidated Fund of India (CFI), established under Article 266(1) of the Constitution, is the primary government fund where all revenues are credited and all authorized expenditures are debited, requiring parliamentary approval for withdrawals.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Toshakhana: A government department or repository for gifts received by public officials from foreign dignitaries.
• Toshakhana Rules, 2024: Regulations notified by the Ministry of External Affairs that govern the management, valuation, and disposal of gifts received by government functionaries from foreign sources.
• Consolidated Fund of India (CFI): The main account of the Government of India, established under Article 266(1) of the Constitution, into which all revenues are credited and from which all authorized government expenditures are made.