Karnataka government spent Rs 775 on per plate buffet lunch

Times of India: Belgaum: Saturday, 27 September 2014.

Karnataka government spent Rs 775 on per plate buffet lunch, arranged for legislators, bureaucrats and media persons at Banquet Hall of Bangalore Vidhana Soudha, during last legislature session.

The Speaker Kagodu Timmappa had arranged lunch for 2,300 VIPs including MLAs, MLCs, bureaucrats and media persons on 23rd July 2014. The contract had given to Rajajinagar based M/s Swati Hospitality Services Prive Limited. The company had charged Rs 775 per plate, which served both veg and non-veg food for the members.

RTI information revealed that, government has made payment of Rs 19,50,340 to the company including tax. Company charged 12% service tax, 2% service charge, 2% education cess and 1% secondary higher education cess. This apart, Rs 4, 44,609 has been spent on decoration, light music and to arrange furniture at lawn beside Banquet Hall. This contract had given to M/s Thibbadevi Tent House.

Gokak based RTI activist Bhimappa Gadad had sought information about the expenditure made on the buffet lunch. "This is the evidence how our political representatives and bureaucrats sitting in Vidhana Soudha are irresponsible about spending public money. Interesting thing is, contract had given after the quotations cleared by the finance department", Gadad said speaking to the TOI.