This was what the housing and building construction minister, Damodar Rawat, said in the state Assembly on Wednesday not knowing that this would upset the chief minister, who stood up to announce an inquiry into this wasteful expenditure.

The issue was raised by none else but BJP MLA, Sanjay Singh Tiger, who asked as to why so much amount is being spent on the buildings which are about to be demolished.

This prompted Nitish Kumar to intervene. He thanked the MLA for raising the issue and said that he would order a high-level inquiry by the Development Commissioner, who he said, is the Chief Secretary rank officer. He said those responsible for this act would not be spared. Nitish also ordered the director-general of police to lodge an FIR against all concerned.

The money was spent by the housing and building construction department, which embarked on a month-long mission to install new wiring, laying of tiles and other works on bungalows and flats of MLAs and MLCs.

Tiger said that he had been MLA for the last six years, but the housing department never installed new wiring or laid down pathways of tiles in the area. Why is it doing now?

The extravagance is a reflection of how the money is being spent in the last month of the financial year. This was what the leader of opposition, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, had to say. He said that the state government is involved in the March loot.

Earlier, the housing minister said his department was undertaking basic maintenance work so that the legislators do not face any inconvenience while they are still living there. The minister conceded that Rs 94 lakh had been spent so far. Additionally, the power and public health engineering departments had incurred the cost of wiring and sinking of tubewells.

However, the chief minister’s intervention came as a shock to him.

Comment

comments...