BHOPAL: The government always talks about the state’s poor fiscal health, but it has spent a huge amount of money on dolling up the bungalows of the chief minister and those of his Cabinet colleagues.
After the formation of Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government, the present regime has spent a lot of money on decorating ministers’ bungalows the way the Kamal Nath-led administration did. From April last year till January this year, a sum of Rs 4.5 crore has been spent on the civil works, electricity and decoration of the bungalows.
PWD minister Gopal Bhargava gave this information in reply to a written question of legislator Panchilal Medha. The highest amount of money was spent on the decoration of the chief minister’s bungalow. A sum of Rs 1 crore has been spent on the chief minister’s residence. A sum of Rs 17 lakh was spent on another bungalow (B-8, 74 Bungalow) of the chief minister.
After Chouhan, the second-largest amount of Rs 70 lakh was spent on the bungalow of Bhargava. Similarly, a sum of Rs 52 lakh was spent on the bungalow of home minister Narottam Mishra. A sum of Rs 34 lakh was spent on the residence of urban development minister Bhupendra Singh.
Besides, work worth Rs 10 lakh was done on the bungalows of several ministers.