As citizens scrounge, govt pampers ministers
At a time when the common man has to run from pillar to post for help from the government, the ruling BJP seems to be generous when it comes to pampering its legislators.
The second instalment of Supplementary Estimates 2011-12 tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Monday provides some interesting insights into the government’s largesse.
Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board Ramachandra Gowda got a grant of Rs five lakh from the State government for reimbursement of cost for his hearing aid. That’s not all.
He received an additional Rs two lakh to meet his cellphone charges, according to the supplementary estimate document.
The government cleared Rs 45 lakh towards meeting the travelling requirements of State’s Special Representative in New Delhi Dhananjay Kumar and his deputy.
The Global Investors Meet 2012 may be six months away, but the government has already spent Rs 13 crore in the run-up to the summit. The Mines and Geology department spent Rs four crore for modernising its office.
The government spent Rs 11 lakh towards purchasing a new car for the chairperson of the Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation, and the list goes on.
Increase in salaries, pension and travel allowances for legislators has cost the State exchequer an additional Rs 23.5 crore this financial year.
Members of both Houses of Legislature, earlier this year, sanctioned themselves hefty hikes in allowances by amending the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pension and Allowances Bill, 2011.
In all, the government has spent Rs 3,864 crore over and above the budgetary provisions for the current fiscal.
Of course, a huge chunk of the additional expenses have gone towards developmental ventures like upgrading roads, construction of new school buildings and also towards pension for the physically handicapped and other social security schemes.
All departments have incurred additionality in expenses with the government announcing an interim relief of 15 per cent of basic pay for government employees.
