Shivraj govt spent 2 cr on food, 25 cr on Vaicharik Mahakumbh

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Around Rs 25 crore was spent in organising the 'Vaicharik Mahakumbh'--a three day conclave of religious and political leaders that was organised by Shivraj Singh Chouhan government during the Simhastha Kumbh at Ujjain.

Nearly 2 crore was spent on food alone during the three days of this programme.

Activist Ajay Dubey said that around Rs 24.59 crore was spent on organising the Vaicharik Mahakumbh (also called Vichar Mahakumbh).

Of this money, Rs 1.93 crore spenton food, Rs 1.71 crore on providing accommodation and Rs 1.01 crore on arranging vehicles, said the Transparency activist, who has obtained information about the huge expenditure made by the BJP government, throught Right to Information (RTI) query.

Apart from the above mentioned expenses, Rs 14.8 lakh was spent on travelling expenditure of members and Rs 1 lakh on stationery, tells an RTI reply from the Department of Culture, Madhya Pradesh.

Further, Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Railways but the RTI response doesn't provide any reason why the amount was paid to the Railways. The Vaicharik Mahakumbh was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Bhopal bench of National Green Tribunal is already hearing a petition filed by Ajay Dubey alleging serious violation of environmental laws by the organisers. The NGT has issued notices and sought reply from Union Forests, Environment and Climate Change Minister Anil Dave and Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh government.

"The State government has spent huge amount and the expenses were unnecessarily. It seems that there may be corruption behind spending Rs two crore on food alone and lakhs of rupees on other things.", Dubey said.

"It is criminal offence on part of the State government because a large section of population in Madhya Pradesh is living below poverty line." Dubey added, saying that he will soon approach Madhya Pradesh High Court, demanding a fair probe in this regard.