Maharashtra government allegedly planning to spend 18 crore on Shivaji memorial bhoomipujan
The government, however, has maintained that the figure of Rs 18 crore is exaggerated.
In Short
- A source said the state government is likely to spend around Rs 18 crore on Shivaji memorial bhoomipujan.
- In addition to that there is a plan to put up hoardings and advertisements in print and electronics media.
- The government, however, has maintained that the figure of Rs 18 crore is exaggerated.
The Maharashtra government is likely to face the ire of opposition parties over its proposed extravagant expenditure on the bhoomipujan of the meorial to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on December 24 in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai coast.
A source said the state government is likely to spend around Rs 18 crore on the publicity of the event across the state. The government has instructed all the 37 district administrations to publicise the event. In addition to that there is a plan to put up hoardings and advertisements in print and electronics media. The Collector of Satara Shekhar Gaikwad on Tuesday addressed the local media giving them details of the December 24 event.
It surprised many in the state as there is no precedence of any district collector addressing media about an event in Mumbai. The government, however, has maintained that the figure of Rs 18 crore is exaggerated.
- "It is obvious that the government will publicise the historic event on a large scale but the figure of Rs 18 crore is not true," a senior official with the state's publicity department said.
- The official said that the government has its own hoardings. It needs only flex boards for the advertisement.
- "The district collectors are also planning the publicity of the event. It is not possible for me to assess their expenditure," he said.
- Vinayak Mete, chairman of the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial committee, refused to divulge the figure of expenditure. "The expenses will also be borne by MMRDA, coast guard and navy. We will bear the expenses on invitation card, pendal and the newspaper advertisements."
- When asked whether Rs 18 crore are being spent on the publicity he said, "The expenditure will be divided among several agencies but it will not be alone spent from the budget approved for the memorial."
- Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan said that the government wanted to make the event a huge success on the backdrop of unrest in the Maratha community. "They have remembered Shivaji Maharaj now because the Maratha community is not happy with them," Chavan said.
The beginning of the work of the memorial is being considered as a master stroke by the Devendra Fadnavis government as it has been pending since last 17 years. The government believes that the memorial, expected to be completed in three years with an expenditure of Rs 3600 crore, would gain more votes for the BJP in the 2019 election.