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| Rs 734.72 lakh spent on renovation/repair of VVIP bungalows in two years | | Austerity measures smothered | | Ministers draw crores as TA/DA
Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Feb 12: Mocking at its own austerity initiatives announced by it in December 2009 in view of the bad economic condition of J&K, the privileged class including Chief Minister, Ministers and other VVIPs have continued to enjoy luxurious freebies at the cost of state exchequer.
In a written reply to PDP MLA Choudhary Zulfikar Ali's question, the figures provided by the government for the expenses incurred on Travelling Allowance (TA)/Dearness Allowance (DA), telephone bills, furniture, fixtures, renovation/repair of official/private bungalows of VVIPs clearly reflect that these facilities were extended to them without giving a second thought to the fact that it is the tax payers money which is being wasted lavishly for the comfy and luxurious life style of VVIPs in state.
According to the government reply, the VVIPs availed TA/DA worth Rs 224.36 lakh from 2012 till January 2014 while their telephone bills cost the state an amount of Rs 28.78 lakh for the same period. This means a whopping amount of Rs 253. 14 lakh was spent during the last two years to keep VVIPs in good humour.
The Annexure 'A' in the reply revealed that in 2012-13 an amount of Rs 119. 85 lakh was distributed as TA/DA among the Ministers and other VVIPs while a sum of Rs 12.03 lakh was reimbursed for their telephone bills.
In 2013-14, the VVIPs' TA/DA bill was Rs 104.51 lakh while the amount expended on paying their telephone bills during the period was Rs 16.75 lakh.
If these expenses are not enough, the Annexure 'B' revealed that in Jammu the expenditure incurred on furniture/fixtures on government bungalows/quarters of Ministers and Vice Chairmen of different Boards during 2011-12 was Rs 30,27,961 while during 2012-13 an amount of Rs 30,51,752 was incurred which means during the period an amount of Rs 60,79,713 was spent on furniture and fixtures.
While the expenses incurred on furniture/fixture on government bungalows/quarters of Ministers and Vice Chairmen of different Boards in Srinagar during 2011-12 was Rs 25.58 lakh and an amount worth Rs 60.76 lakh was spent during 2012-13. The total amount spent on furniture/fixtures on Government Bungalows in Srinagar during the period stands at Rs 80.34 lakh.
An overall amount of Rs 141.13 lakh was spent on furniture/fixtures in government bungalows from 2011 to 2013 in both the capital cities of the state.
An expenditure amounting to staggering Rs 734.72 lakh was incurred on renovation/repair of official/private bungalows of Ministers in Jammu and Srinagar for the period 2011-12 and 2012-13 which reflects further that the so called austerity measures of the government are just on papers and the reality is somewhat different.
In 2011-12, an amount of Rs 112.76 lakh was incurred on repair/renovation of official/private bungalows of VVIPs in Jammu while expenditure to the tune of Rs 137.85 lakh was made during 2012-13. The net spending in Jammu for the period stands at Rs 250.61 lakh.
The expenditure incurred on repair/renovation of VVIP bungalows in Srinagar is almost double than Jammu as a net amount of Rs 484.11 lakh from 2011 till 2013 was expended to give a facelift to the accommodations of privileged class.
In 2011-12, an amount of Rs 185.73 lakh was incurred on repair/renovation of official/private accommodations of VVIPs in Srinagar while in 2012-13 the expenses incurred for the purpose was Rs 298.38 lakh. |
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