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Journalism of Courage
A residence spread over 40 acres,employing around 20 personnel,having an annual upkeep expense of over a crore rupees and occupied for only about a month a year.
The reply to an RTI query by The Indian Express on the upkeep and maintenance of the Raj Bhavan in Pune vis-a-vis its usage shows that over Rs 1 crore is spent annually to maintain it while the Governor,who usually resides in Mumbai,occupies it for just over a month.
Among the employees who help run the Governors residence are an assistant garden supervisor,11 gardeners,four room boys and a sweeper. Around Rs 22,24,920 is spent annually on their salaries,while the other personnel,maintenance,get-togethers,kitchen essentials etc together cost Rs 82,06,709 a year,says the RTI reply by the Office of the Comptroller of the Household to the Governor of Maharashtra.
So the fixed overall expenditure per year is Rs 1,04,31,629 or Rs 8,69,302 per month. This still leaves out the expenses incurred on security as well as the additional money spent when the Raj Bhavan is occupied by the Governor or the visiting President/ Prime Minister.
In the financial year 2010-2011,Governor K Sankaranarayanan visited Pune on official occasions for a total of 36 days,says the RTI reply. The Governor visits Raj Bhavan Pune during official tours,during the monsoon season and during the stay of Indian VVIPs at Raj Bhavan when they visit Pune, adds the reply.
All other visiting VVIPs,including the Chief Minister,use the Circuit House.
