PMO splurged Rs 1.4cr on 20 dinners for UPA allies
11 views
Skip to first unread message
Sushil Kumar
May 15, 2013, 12:44:46 AM5/15/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com
For information .
Politics with taxpayer money.
PMO splurged Rs 1.4cr on 20 dinners for UPA allies
HYDERABAD: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) spent about Rs 1.4 crore
on 20 lavish dinners hosted for its UPA allies in recent years, it
said in a recent reply to an RTI query, but turned down requests to
reveal the minutes of meetings and private parties involved in
organizing these dinners.
Interestingly, lakhs were also spent on organizing dinner for the Left
coordination committee in mid 2007, months before the communists
eventually pulled out of the government, protesting the landmark civil
nuclear cooperation deal with the United States of America.
Activists said the tax payers' money was being used by leaders for
political gains at a time when the nation was battling inflation,
poverty and food crisis. The dinners hosted by the PMO between 2004
and 2013 were attended by 3,064 guests.
While the catering charges came up to Rs 60 lakh, the charges for
erecting tents was pegged at Rs 57 lakh, lighting costs stood at Rs 15
lakh and floral arrangement about Rs 7 lakh. On an average, the PMO
spent Rs 4,478 on each guest in these feasts.
Analysts said these dinners, meant to be social events, end up being
misused for narrow political purposes. "There should be some code
which should be followed for hosting such dinners," said Telakapalli
Ravi, a political analyst from the city.
"Most often these dinners are used for lobbying to keep the coalition
close-knitted. This is the reason why the guest list in such events
includes corporate bosses and extra-constitutional authorities. This
is not good for democracy. There should be proper protocol and
transparency as to who is invited."
While the PMO revealed the basic information of these dinners, it
refused to divulge anything about the guest list, citing security
reasons. It also did not share any minutes of the meetings.
"I cannot understand why the details of guests who attended the
dinners is a security concern if revealed now," said city-based
activist Syed Shah Ali Hussaini who filed the RTI.
"We do not know why most of these dinners were hosted in the first
place and what was their outcome as PMO did not give out any details
regarding this. The PMO also failed to provide copies of communication
between PMO and party offices of all the UPA allies or any government
agency regarding the dinners hosted."
"If one were to go by Planning Commission statements, then Rs 4,478
spent on a single guest in these dinners is more than the monthly per
capita expenditure of a rural family," said Ali.
Politics with taxpayer money.
PMO splurged Rs 1.4cr on 20 dinners for UPA allies
HYDERABAD: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) spent about Rs 1.4 crore
on 20 lavish dinners hosted for its UPA allies in recent years, it
said in a recent reply to an RTI query, but turned down requests to
reveal the minutes of meetings and private parties involved in
organizing these dinners.
Interestingly, lakhs were also spent on organizing dinner for the Left
coordination committee in mid 2007, months before the communists
eventually pulled out of the government, protesting the landmark civil
nuclear cooperation deal with the United States of America.
Activists said the tax payers' money was being used by leaders for
political gains at a time when the nation was battling inflation,
poverty and food crisis. The dinners hosted by the PMO between 2004
and 2013 were attended by 3,064 guests.
While the catering charges came up to Rs 60 lakh, the charges for
erecting tents was pegged at Rs 57 lakh, lighting costs stood at Rs 15
lakh and floral arrangement about Rs 7 lakh. On an average, the PMO
spent Rs 4,478 on each guest in these feasts.
Analysts said these dinners, meant to be social events, end up being
misused for narrow political purposes. "There should be some code
which should be followed for hosting such dinners," said Telakapalli
Ravi, a political analyst from the city.
"Most often these dinners are used for lobbying to keep the coalition
close-knitted. This is the reason why the guest list in such events
includes corporate bosses and extra-constitutional authorities. This
is not good for democracy. There should be proper protocol and
transparency as to who is invited."
While the PMO revealed the basic information of these dinners, it
refused to divulge anything about the guest list, citing security
reasons. It also did not share any minutes of the meetings.
"I cannot understand why the details of guests who attended the
dinners is a security concern if revealed now," said city-based
activist Syed Shah Ali Hussaini who filed the RTI.
"We do not know why most of these dinners were hosted in the first
place and what was their outcome as PMO did not give out any details
regarding this. The PMO also failed to provide copies of communication
between PMO and party offices of all the UPA allies or any government
agency regarding the dinners hosted."
"If one were to go by Planning Commission statements, then Rs 4,478
spent on a single guest in these dinners is more than the monthly per
capita expenditure of a rural family," said Ali.
P.J. THOMAS
May 15, 2013, 7:50:28 AM5/15/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com
Govt. functions with tax payers money. With an annual budget of about 12-13 lakh crores, I don't think spending 1.4 crores is a big deal during a span of four years by PMO for meeting with its front partners who are also part of the Govt.
JNGupta
May 15, 2013, 8:45:25 AM5/15/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com, vishrantika
The hard Working Govt. for the Poor People of India !!!
JNGupta
JNGupta
Arun Banerjee
May 15, 2013, 2:48:51 AM5/15/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com
Where does the Economy measurse of the Government stands for the lavish dinner which costs crores on public exchequer. It seems crores were spent as Fuel charges to keep the UPA Govt. running.
--
DWARKA FORUM (Regd) www.dwarkaforum.org
Membership Application- Please visit...
http://www.dwarkaforum.org/self-support/
We are on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Dwarkaforum
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DWARKA FORUM (Regd)" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to dwarka-residen...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Arun Banerjee
(M) 9868227877
Use email save tree
Krishna
May 18, 2013, 1:01:51 AM5/18/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com
when govt. claims Rs29 is sufficient to live for a day (inlcuding eating, rent, medical, transport, education etc), why not they have a single meal in may be few times multiple of the same? atlast they are ruling that Rs29 person only.
Arun Banerjee
May 19, 2013, 10:30:47 AM5/19/13
to dwarka-r...@googlegroups.com
Parl canteen serves veg thali for below Rs.15/ & non veg thali for below Rs 25/ why not partoes are held Parl Hs?
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages