JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government, which is bracing for a crucial Assembly election later this year, is spending a whopping Rs 7 crore to ferry 2.5 lakh beneficiaries of welfare schemes to a rally which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address in Jaipur on Saturday.
According to an order of the General Administration Department (GAD), the money for this will largely come from funds for the 12 schemes run by the BJP governments at the Centre and in Rajasthan.
According to an the order the government will spend Rs 722.53 lakh to bring people from 33 districts to Jaipur in 5,579 buses for the rally at the Amrudon Ka Bagh stadium.
GAD Joint Secretary Rajeev Jain has given directions to all District Collectors that the government would pay Rs 20 per km for each bus and the cost would be met from funding under welfare schemes.
The maximum number of buses are planned from Alwar, Udaipur and Ajmer districts. In Jaipur district alone, 532 buses are expected to ferry the beneficiaries to the venue.
Additional Director General of Police N R K Reddy said all security arrangements are in place for the prime minister’s visit and security drills have been conducted to eliminate last-minute glitches.
Modi will be meeting about 2.5 lakh beneficiaries of several central government schemes, and launch a Smart City initiative. Transport, food and accommodation are being arranged for these beneficiaries. The Congress alleges the beneficiaries are all BJP workers and supporters.
