The Statesman: Chandigarh: Monday, December 25, 2017.
At a time
when the cash strapped Punjab government is making efforts to save money,
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s two day long visit to woo inventors in
Mumbai in April has cost `25 Lakh to the state exchequer.
As per the
information received by Right to Information (RTI) by Social Reformers, an
information sharing Non Government Organisation (NGO) reveals that the CM
stayed in a room fare of `80,000 per night at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.
Revealing the
data obtained through RTI from Punjab Investment Bureau, President of NGO
Social Reformers, Rajesh Gupta told The Statesman that total cost incurred on
the visit was `25.07 lakh out of which 6.58 lakh were spent of air travel. He
said, Hotel Taj Mahal Palace foots bill of `15 Lakh including CM’s stay in a
room with fare of `80, 000 per night.
Gupta further
said, Singh flew business class from Chandigarh to Mumbai and back from Mumbai
to Delhi along with Cabinet minister Rana Gurjeet Singh, Media advisor to CM,
Raveen Thukral, Senior Advisor to CM, Tajinder Singh Shergill and Chief
Principal Secretary to CM, Suresh Kumar also flew business class on both sides.
Interestingly,
Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal got his business class ticket cancelled
and later shifted to economy class, he said.
The RTI
reveals that out of total expenses incurred on air travel, the fare for five
persons who flew business class was `3.5 Lakh and for 16 persons who flew
economy including Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal was `2 Lakh.
The CM and
his team stayed at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai costing a total bill of `15
lakh out of which `8.63 lakh were spent on accommodation.
.JPG)
.JPG)
