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How Much Space Does One AAO Need?

Once upon a time - like before you and your parents were even born – this was the question facing the LIC of India. You see, the powers that be were deciding something called the Staff Rules & Regulations, xxxx. Part of which was to decide how to allocate/price lease agreements.

*Cut scene*
It’s evident that a great undertaking is in progress…Four & twenty men, gathered round a huge table, papers scattered everywhere…Their faces lined with stress, the atmosphere fairly crackles with the unspoken tension…The terrible question faces them all: Will the Staff Rules & Regulations be ready for the unveiling in just 2 days?

Note: The following dialogue has been translated from Hindi to English for our readers’ edification.

Fat Old Man 1: Now let’s concentrate people! We have got just two more days before we hand over this complicated set of rules to the employees. We need to draft them and we don’t have much time!

Fat Old Man 2: All right! Calm down. There is no need for panic. What else do we need to decide? How many more hoops can we make the staff jump through?

Thin Old Man 1: Let me see. Here we have already fixed the amount to be granted – cadre wise of course – for leased accommodation. But I feel there is something still missing. It is too simple, what will people think? They won’t believe that we came up with something like this!

Balding Old Man: Yes, yes. We have to justify all those meeting expenses & time we wasted ahem..I mean to say utilized effectively.

Fat Old Man 2: Now why didn’t I think of this sooner?! Why don’t we make a committee (how I love that word!) which has to visit the staff’s house and confirm the size & that they are indeed living there?

Thin Old Man 2: That’s pure genius! Wah…The employee and the committee members both have to work & the members won’t want to waste time by going after office hours! Diabolical!

Fat Old Man 1: That’s great. How about we add this too? Just to make sure the employee is not cheating and trying to get more money out of us, why don’t we fix a ceiling for the size of the house also? Because obviously why would a lowly AAO need to live in a 1200 sqft flat? He/She can live very well indeed in that space. Besides no employee of ours can afford that much. We’ve made sure of that haven’t we? *muahahahaha* (translates into evil laughter)

*Cut Scene Ends*

Thus spoke the committee and it came to be! To this day, as they have commanded, we - the employees - have obeyed. Also we are greatly indebted to this committee for letting us live (included here as per rules)

P.S: The answer to the post title is 600-1000 sq feet.Bet you didn’t know that!
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