Karnataka governor Vajubhai R Vala lands in trouble over Rs 2.4 crore renovation and travel bill
Karnataka governor Vajubhai R Vala has landed in a controversy for making the state government spend Rs 2.4 crore on renovating the Raj Bhavan.
By TNN | Updated:
BENGALURU: Karnataka governor Vajubhai R Vala has landed in a controversy for making the state government spend Rs 2.4 crore on renovating the Raj Bhavan and chartering private aircraft for his official visits. Vala took charge on September 1, 2014.
The public works department furnished this information in reply to an RTI query filed by a private TV channel. In its reply - a copy of it is available with TOI - the department said the renovation work was undertaken after the finance department gave a special sanction of Rs 3 crore through an order dated January 5, 2015. About Rs 2.3 crore of this amount was spent.
The reply further said the expenditure on chartered flights/helicopters from September 1, 2014 to May 13, 2015 was around Rs 10 lakh.
When reporters asked chief minister Siddaramaiah about this, he said: "I don't want to comment on this."
When H R Bhardwaj was the governor, Rs 72 lakh was spent on civil works in the Raj Bhavan between 2009 and 2012, an RTI query filed by activist Bheemappa Gadad earlier had revealed.
The Raj Bhavan, spread across 17 acres and 27 guntas, houses the governor's residence, an administration block, a glasshouse and 61 staff quarters. The staff strength is 300, the RTI reply said.
Expenditure incurred
* Rs 40 lakh: Providing interiors in the governor and his ADC's chambers (wooden false ceiling, wooden wall paneling, glass doors, etc)
* Rs 30 lakh: Interior works in the offices of OSD, private secretary and main lounge
* Rs 25 lakh: Alterations at telephone exchange, computer section, dispensary and university section in Raj Bhavan
* Rs 35 lakh: Asphalting internal roads and providing kerbs at the front
* Rs 50 lakh: Renovation of kitchen, dining hall and bathroom of the governor
* Rs 50 lakh: Widening of pathway near main building, alterations to laundry and dispensary
The public works department furnished this information in reply to an RTI query filed by a private TV channel. In its reply - a copy of it is available with TOI - the department said the renovation work was undertaken after the finance department gave a special sanction of Rs 3 crore through an order dated January 5, 2015. About Rs 2.3 crore of this amount was spent.
The reply further said the expenditure on chartered flights/helicopters from September 1, 2014 to May 13, 2015 was around Rs 10 lakh.
When reporters asked chief minister Siddaramaiah about this, he said: "I don't want to comment on this."
When H R Bhardwaj was the governor, Rs 72 lakh was spent on civil works in the Raj Bhavan between 2009 and 2012, an RTI query filed by activist Bheemappa Gadad earlier had revealed.
The Raj Bhavan, spread across 17 acres and 27 guntas, houses the governor's residence, an administration block, a glasshouse and 61 staff quarters. The staff strength is 300, the RTI reply said.
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Expenditure incurred
* Rs 40 lakh: Providing interiors in the governor and his ADC's chambers (wooden false ceiling, wooden wall paneling, glass doors, etc)
* Rs 30 lakh: Interior works in the offices of OSD, private secretary and main lounge
* Rs 25 lakh: Alterations at telephone exchange, computer section, dispensary and university section in Raj Bhavan
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* Rs 35 lakh: Asphalting internal roads and providing kerbs at the front
* Rs 50 lakh: Renovation of kitchen, dining hall and bathroom of the governor
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* Rs 50 lakh: Widening of pathway near main building, alterations to laundry and dispensary
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