Karnataka govt spent ₹36.43 crores during PM’s visit on Feb 27

The PM has visited seven times since January this year to attend government programmes in the state.

The State Government has spent over ₹36.43 crores to make arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Karnataka on February 27, the day he visited Shivamogga and Belagavi.

Mr. Modi was in Shivamogga to inaugurate the airport at Sogane village. Later in the day, he visited Belagavi, where he released the 13th installment of the PM Kissan Scheme and took part in a roadshow.

According to the Karnataka Gazetteer dated March 24, the State Government spent ₹21.06 crores to make arrangements for the inauguration of the airport in Shivamogga. The expenses included ₹4.25 crores for providing transportation facilities for the public to attend the event. The money was spent to provide water proof German pendals, green rooms for the PM, PM office, governor office, CM office, food for SPG, VVIPs, among others.

Later in the day, he went to Belagavi. The government spent ₹1.98 crores to put up 30-km-long barricade and exhibit tableaus. Besides that, another ₹13.39 crores were spent at the public meeting held to release the 13th instalment of PM Kissan Scheme. The expenses included ₹4.55 crores for the stage and infrastructure, ₹4.46 crores for the transportation of beneficiaries, and another ₹4.37 crores for ‘other works’, 

The State Government had given clearance to the Public Works Department to take up these works. And, the works were given exemption under the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999. The PM has visited seven times since January this year to attend government programmes in the state.