Government money should be spent carefully: Congress

NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the explanation by Planning Commission on expenditure of Rs 35 lakh on toilets, the Congress today sought to disapprove of any wastage of public money.

"Government funds needed to be spent carefully as it is public money. As far as the question of the two toilets, we do not have information. You better ask the Planning Commission", party spokesman Rashid Alvi told reporters, while replying to queries on the controversy.

The plan panel has been facing flak after it was reported on the basis of an RTI reply that it has spent a whopping Rs 35 lakh for renovation of two toilets.

The Commission has termed the expenditure as routine maintenance and upgradation work and said it was "unfortunate" to call it a wasteful expenditure.

"While the amount of Rs 30 lakh being mentioned is correct, an impression is being created that this has been spent on two toilets. This is totally false because these toilet blocks have multiple seats in addition to separate facility for the differently abled. Each of these blocks can be simultaneously used by approximately ten people", a statement from the Commission said.