While it had accused the previous BJP dispensation of reckless spending, the Congress government has spent Rs 7.17 crore on renovation of Ministers’ bungalows and purchase of furniture during its first seven months in office.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah leads the list with Rs 2.34 crore spent on renovation of his home office and official bungalow. This information was provided by MLA of Mahalakshmi Layout, K Gopalaiah, in the Legislative Assembly.
While `9.9 lakh had been spent on renovation and repairs of Kumara Krupa-1 (South), where Siddaramaiah stayed between May and December, 2013, `9.85 lakh was spent on his home office and `1.72 crore on Cauvery, the official residence of the CM, since December 2013.
Siddaramaiah is followed by Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil who had spent `38.4 lakh on the renovation of his bungalow. Higher Education Minister R N Deshpande had spent `31.2 lakh and `26.8 lakh was spent by Urban Development Minister Vinaykumar Sorake and `24.3 lakh by Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Infrastructure and Information Minister R Roshan Baig, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Women and Child Welfare Minister Umashree, who are staying in their own houses, are given a monthly rent allowance of Rs 40,000 and Rs 10,000 as maintenance charges each.
Horticulture Minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Water Resources Minister M B Patil, Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Labour Minister P T Parameshwara Naik and Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda were given a monthly rental allowance of `1 lakh each.