Gujarat Confidential: ‘Shameful’ expenditure

Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat Working President and Dediapada MLA Chaitar Vasava has lashed out at the BJP-run state government after acquiring details of the expenditure incurred for the Janjati Gaurav Diwas programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda on November 15 at Dediapada in Narmada district.

Vasava said a spend of Rs 23 crore for the event that lasted a few hours was “shameful” as bills of Aganwadis were not being approved. Vasava on Sunday made public the figures of the expenditure from the RTI reply – Rs 7 crore spent on construction of the pavilion and Rs 3 crore for the dome, Rs 5 crores for the stage and Rs 7 crores for transportation of the crowd.

Additionally, Rs 2 crore were spent on tea and breakfast and another Rs 2 crores spent on building temporary toilets. Vasava said, “Anganwadi bills are not being approved and new rooms need to be built in schools… sickle cell assistance is not provided citing lack of grant, scholarships have stopped for two years and over 12,000 children are suffering from malnutrition but the government spends lakhs and crores of tribal funds on programmes like these for their publicity. It is shameful.”