The Andhra Pradesh government spent Rs 7,29,03,156 on celebrations marking the completion of one year of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s administration, according to a newspaper report. The expenditure has raised questions over whether more than Rs 7.29 crore of public money was spent on a single event to mark one year in office.
The expenditure details have attracted particular attention because substantial amounts were reportedly allocated to the collectors of Guntur and Krishna districts.
Rs 7.29 Crore Spent on One-Year Celebrations
Sakshi, Amaravati: According to the report, the state government spent Rs 7,29,03,156 on celebrations marking Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s first year in office.
A public meeting was organised on June 23 at the premises behind the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat as part of the celebrations marking one year of the government.
The expenditure incurred for the event has now become a subject of discussion, with questions being raised over the scale of spending on a programme held to mark the completion of just one year in office.
Planning Department Issues Orders on Event Expenditure
The report stated that the Finance Department made several observations on the orders issued by the Planning Department regarding arrangements for the event.
Against this backdrop, Planning Department Principal Secretary Piyush Kumar reportedly issued detailed orders on Thursday concerning the expenditure related to the programme.
According to the report, the orders stated that funds for the event would be released to the collectors of three districts as well as the Managing Director of APSRTC.
Rs 4.94 Crore Allocated to Guntur Collector
The largest allocation reportedly went to the Guntur District Collector, who was allocated Rs 4,94,64,946.
The other allocations were reportedly as follows:
- Krishna District Collector: Rs 2,17,76,139
- NTR District Collector: Rs 1,15,748
- APSRTC MD: Rs 15,46,323
These allocations together amount to Rs 7,29,03,156, according to the figures cited in the report.
Questions Over Rs 7.29 Crore Expenditure
The reported expenditure of more than Rs 7.29 crore for the one-year governance celebrations has triggered discussion over the scale and purpose of the spending.
While government programmes naturally involve expenditure, questions are being raised about why such a large amount was required for a programme marking one year of the government, and how much was spent on individual arrangements.
The allocation of nearly Rs 4.95 crore to the Guntur District Collector and around Rs 2.18 crore to the Krishna District Collector has particularly drawn attention.
What Were the Funds Spent On?
Detailed information on how much was spent on event arrangements, infrastructure, transportation, logistics and other related activities would provide greater clarity on the total expenditure.
According to the reported government orders, funds were to be released to the collectors of three districts and the APSRTC MD. This has led to questions about how each rupee from the reported Rs 7.29 crore was utilised for the one-year celebrations.
Rs 7.29 Crore for One-Year Celebrations
The newspaper report stated that Rs 7,29,03,156 was spent on celebrations marking the completion of one year of Chandrababu Naidu’s government.
The event was held on June 23 behind the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat. The report also referred to Planning Department orders, observations by the Finance Department and district-wise allocations for the programme.
According to the reported figures, Rs 4,94,64,946 was allocated to the Guntur District Collector, Rs 2,17,76,139 to the Krishna District Collector, Rs 1,15,748 to the NTR District Collector and Rs 15,46,323 to the APSRTC MD.
The figures have brought the expenditure for the one-year celebrations into focus, with the central question being: Why did marking one year of governance require an expenditure of Rs 7.29 crore?
