FPJ POLITICAL BUREAU Mumbai Just a week after the budget session of the State Legislature was wrapped up, 25 legislators have embarked on a junket to Europe.
At a time when Maharashtra is reeling under a debt of Rs 1 lakh crore and
is facing an acute agrarian crisis due to a drought like situation, the 25 legislators are going on junkets abroad with the tax payers money.
These MLAs and MLCs, cutting across party lines, are packing their bags for a alt39 study touralt39 of Europe.
According to sources in state legislature, the legislators are expected to visit the United Kingdom and France, Italy between June 1 and 15. The tour has been organised in association with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
While the legislators will be paying only 1/ 3rd of the cost of the tour, the remaining 2/ 3rds will be borne by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
It is learnt that the state government makes payment to the commonwealth, indirectly funding the tour.
On their agenda will be visits to the parliament and elected bodies in European countries and interaction with industrial and agricultural associations.
The estimate cost of the tour is Rs 3 lakh out of which the legislators will just have to pay Rs. 1 lakh.
Activists have termed the legislatorsalt39 foreign trip as a ” horrible waste of public money”. ” It is shocking. I doubt if there will be any concrete result. It may just be a jaunt,” said an official.
