Did Centre overspend on hosting G20 Summit? PIB 'fact checks' Opposition's allegations

TMC MP Saket Gokhale had claimed on September 8 that India spent seven times more than what Germany spent in organising the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg.

After several Opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, raised questions over the expenditure incurred in organising the G20 Summit, the Centre has responded to allegations of reckless spending.

Gokhale had claimed on September 8 that India spent seven times more than what Germany spent in organising the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg.

"Modi government has spent over Euro 449 million i.e. over Rs 4100 crores only on Delhi. This expenditure is seven times more than what a developed country like Germany spent on the same G20 Summit. For Modi's self-PR for 2024 elections, we have spent a shocking Rs. 3500 crores extra," he wrote on X.

In a similar vein, the Congress party also accused PM Modi of exploiting the event to boost his public profile.

The government's fact-checking team from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has now responded to these allegations. According to the PIB, the expenditure not only covered the summit but also included investments in long-term infrastructure and assets.

Terming Gokhale's allegations "misleading", the PIB Fact Check account wrote on X, "The quoted expenditure is majorly towards permanent asset creation by ITPO & other infrastructure development which is not limited to hosting G20 Summit alone."

Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, in a post on X on Monday, shared a list of expenditures incurred by Delhi and central government agencies, amounting to around Rs 4,100 crore.

The table said the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) spent Rs 3,600 crore. The summit was held in the redeveloped ITPO complex.

However, Gokhale did not back down, writing on X on September 11, "UNBELIEVABLE! Modi Govt spent a WHOPPING 300% more on G20 than the funds allocated in budget. How much was allocated for G20 Summit in the last Union Budget? ₹990 cr. How much did Modi Govt actually spend? OVER ₹4100 cr. That’s 300% (or ₹3110 cr) over the budget. Where has this money gone? Why shouldn't BJP be made to pay this extra ₹3110 cr since it was clearly non-essential spending purely for Modi's self-advertisement & personal PR for 2024 elections?"

(With PTI inputs)