Categorical Information Carrier
BENGALURU: An RTI answer has printed that the place of work of the President of India does no longer have main points of the overall cash spent at the swearing-in rite of the High Minister in 2019. T Narasimha Murthy, an RTI activist from Bengaluru, had carried out via RTI in search of data of the overall price of the swearing-in rite of Narendra Modi as High Minister of India, on Would possibly 30, 2019.
Within the utility, Murthy had sought main points of expenditure on top tea, meals association (each veg and non-veg) for all contributors, together with overseas dignitaries, transportation, together with air price tag fees for foreigners, mild, sound, flower ornament, invitation playing cards, and different expenditure.
Even though the applicant were given main points of the bills on a couple of issues, the main points of others have no longer been shared mentioning quite a lot of causes. As consistent with the main points shared to the applicant, Rs 32,11,953 was once spent on tents and cell bathrooms, Rs 11,79,750 on lighting fixtures and DG set, and Rs 18,63,744 on an audio device, automotive calling, video partitions, and UPS device. But even so, Rs 10,60,058 was once spent in opposition to flower association and showing of potted vegetation. These kind of put in combination, Rs 73,15,505 was once spent.
So far as the meals bills are involved (round 8,000 visitors took phase within the occasion), the applicant has were given a answer that no separate event-wise accounts have been maintained, and expenses generated by way of distributors are settled periodically.
“In a similar fashion, the printing of invitation vehicles is undertaken by way of the Govt of India Press, and bills on the subject of the similar are debited notionally. With reference to the bills at the air tickers of overseas delegates, it was once mentioned that the similar was once no longer incurred by way of the President’s Secretariat,” the answer mentioned.
RTI activist Murthy stated denial of knowledge is the denial of the basic proper assured beneath the Charter of India. “That being the case, how can the President’s place of work deny a citizen question via RTI?” he puzzled.