Maya has no funds for drought, 27 cr for statues

LUCKNOW: The supplementary budget presented by the Mayawati government on Monday earmarked Rs 556 crore for memorials, which include Rs 27 crore for new statues. An additional Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for the development of Lucknow city, which would include areas around memorials.

This is in tune with almost every budget presented since Mayawati assumed power, with large allocation of funds for memorials and statues.

Ms Mayawati's fascination for memorials and statues, including those of herself, has earned her a lot of flak from opposition parties, including litigation in the Supreme Court. Even though the state continues to reel under drought, the supplementary budget did not allocate any funds from its exchequer for farmers' relief.

However, an allocation of Rs 250 crore for drought relief has been made from the National Disaster Relief Fund funded by the Centre. The Opposition cornered the government over its failure to allocate funds for drought relief and obsession with memorials and statues.

The memorial constructions, which was started in 1995 when Mayawati first became chief minister, have been rebuilt and renovated several times at a huge cost to the exchequer. Mayawati in her present term also started construction of new memorials in the name of BSP founder Kanshi Ram and others.