'Meals worth Rs 5,000 served in silver plates': Estimates Committee conference sparks political storm
The recently concluded two-day conference of the Estimates Committee representatives of parliament and state has landed in a soup over the rate of meals and the utensils in which the meals were served.
Vijay Wadettivar, a senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister, levelled an allegation that the meal cost Rs 5,000 per person and the silver plates in which it was served were rented at Rs 550 per plate.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Wadettiwar questioned the government stating that the state is virtually on the brink of bankruptcy, and hence there was no need to serve meals in silver plates to members of the Estimates Committees in Mumbai. He claimed each meal cost Rs 5,000 and so much money on lavish meals was being spent by the government at a time when farmers are being denied loan waivers and large sections of tribal, social welfare, and Anganwadi schemes are facing budget cuts.
Mumbai hosted the two-day conference from June 23-24. The event, held at Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature), saw the participation of chairpersons and members of such panels of Parliament, states and Union Territory legislatures.
These financial committees, at the central and state/UT levels, examine the expenditure estimates for each administrative department in respective budgets and also the utilisation of funds.
According to Wadettiwar, a majority of farmers in Vidarbha have been denied fresh crop loans. Anganwadi workers aren't paid honorariums on time, and funds for schemes like the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana remain pending.
"Yet, the government chooses to serve meals to Estimates Committee members in silver plates," Wadettiwar said. It is an insult to the poor people, he added.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal also hit out at the Mahayuti government over the issue of "meal in silver plates".
"They (estimates committee delegation members) feasted on Rs 5,000 meal served in Rs 550 worth of silver plate each. Was the fund spent linked to the money found in the Dhule government guest house when the state estimates committee was touring?" the MPCC chief asked in Mumbai.
Last month, a huge amount of cash was recovered from a room in the government guest house in Dhule district ahead of the visit of state estimates committee members.
"They have no money for farmers' loan waivers or even to pay Rs 2,100 to poor sisters under Ladki Bahin Scheme, but they have no shortage of funds for lavish banquets," said Sapkal hitting out at the government.
India