Govt spent Rs 4 crore for renovating Raj Bhavan

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, June 4, 2015, DHNS: The State government has spent Rs four crore on the renovation of Raj Bhavan, which houses Governor’s residence and office, during the financial year 2014-15, according to information provided by the Public Works Department (PWD) to an RTI query.

The Governor’s secretary had written to the State government on June 17, 2014 on renovation of the buildings on the Raj Bhavan premises. On January 5, 2015 administrative approval was given to take up seven civil works at a cost of Rs three crore. Besides, electrical works worth Rs one crore have been taken up.

The government has also given exemption from the tender process for these works under the Section 4 (G) of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Rules.

A sum of Rs 40 lakh has been spent on repair of Governor and ADC offices; Rs 30 lakh on repair of special officer/personal secretary’s office and main lounge; Rs 25 lakh on repair of telephone exchange, computer section, pharmacy and administrative block; Rs 50 lakh on widening of the pedestrian way behind the main building among other works, the department has said.

CM refuses to comment

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday refused to comment on the government spending Rs four crore during the last nine months to renovate Raj Bhavan after Vajubhai Vala took over as governor.

When reporters sought Siddaramaiah reaction, he said, “I have no information.... I do not want to comment”.

Siddaramaiah said an executive committee to work out the modalities of celebrating the birth centenary of former chief minister D Devaraj Urs will be constituted soon.

The government has plans to observe the year as Devaraj Urs year and hold a series of programmes across the State in the run-up to the birth centenary of Devaraj Urs on August 20.

The chief minister said he would be leaving for New Delhi on June 8 to attend a meeting of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states convened by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi.

Air travel expenses amount to Rs 1.3 crore

The State Government has spent Rs 1.3 crore on air travel expenses of Vala since he took over as the Governor on September 1, 2014 till May 13, 2015. In these nine months, Vala has travelled by air for 54.44 hours, using special flights and chartered copters. The travel includes Vala’s trips to Vadodara, Surat and Ahmedabad in his home state of Gujarat, according to information obtained by one Mahesh Chevar under RTI Act.