Indian
Express: Nizamabad: Friday, 30 January 2015.
The Assembly
Secretariat spent more than Rs 77.14 lakh on the repair of new vehicles within
a year of their purchase, it has come to light.
According to
RTI documents available with Express, in 2009-10 and 2011-12, the government
bought 85 vehicles Ambassadors, Innovas, Swift Dzires and Toyota Fortuners for
Rs 7.17 crore, and spent an additional 10 per cent on repairs in the first
year. The petitioner requested anonymity for this story.
BJP leader
Jagadish Shettar was the Assembly Speaker then, and approved the purchases and
service bills. However, Shettar told Express he was not aware of the payments
as such files are sent to the maintenance department.
The cars are
being used by ministers and legislators of all parties represented in the
Assembly. Intriguingly, the secretariat spent Rs 77.14 lakh on repairing cars
covered under warranty and free service.
Omprakash,
Assembly Secretary, said, “The charges include servicing. Even service charges
go under the head of repair.” Only certain vehicles come with free service, he
claimed. “Our vehicles go out of the city often, and on all kinds of roads.
This is another reason for the extra expenditure on services and repair,”
Omprakash said.
Kishore B M,
an automobile professional associated with the four-wheeler business, said, “It
is unusual to spend so much on repairs in the first year.” All new vehicles
come with at least four free services, he said.
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