PANAJI
The State government may have extolled the virtues of austerity in the face of a fiscal crunch but that did not hold it back when it came to holding parties and dinners.
From April 2017 till date, the government spent around Rs 4.63 crore for organising various events, hosting lunches, dinners and high teas for dignitaries according to information given in the Assembly.
Most of the expenses were incurred in hosting dinners and high teas for ministers and top officials.
For the recently held two-day GST council meet in September at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium and at Taleigao Community Center a whopping Rs 2,30,80,800 was spent. The cost includes venue, two dinners, mementos etc. Around 154 people attended the meeting which was hosted by the government.
For the arbitration tribunal meeting held between the Arihant Ship Breakers and State of Goa, around Rs 2,95,134 was spent. Around 20 persons were present for the meeting.
The lunch hosted in January for around 600 members of the organising committee of 36th National Games cost the government Rs 6,21,565.
For a dinner in January 2018 for World Congress of Regional Science Association, around Rs 6.98 lakhs were spent.
The awareness programme on Swacch Bharat Mission organised by Directorate of Panchayat at Ravindra Bhavan and Taleigao Community hall in January and February 2018 cost the exchequer Rs 3.50 lakh.
Apart from this, Chief Secretaries and the DGP hosted many farewell parties for IAS and IPS officers spending around Rs 10 lakh.
Several other dinners, events also accounted for lakhs of rupees. Besides this Chief Minister and other Ministers also hosted many dinner parties costing Rs 1 to 2 lakh a day.
Goa State film festival closing ceremony cost State exchequer Rs 5.60 lakh while a dinner for Nobel laureate cost Rs 10.85 lakh.
