Rs 1-cr splurge on renovating UT adviser’s house raises eyebrows

The Union Territory (UT) administration has floated tenders for renovation works to be carried out at the official residence of its adviser, Vijay Kumar Dev, in Sector 7, Chandigarh.

The Union Territory (UT) administration has floated tenders for renovation works to be carried out at the official residence of its adviser, Vijay Kumar Dev, in Sector 7, Chandigarh.

While UT officials claim that the house is being renovated after more than a decade, sources in the engineering department have told the Hindustan Times that the budget estimate for carrying out the refurnishing and repair work has reached almost a whopping Rs 1 crore.

The various works planned to be carried out in the house include changing the entire flooring and furniture, besides renovation of windowpanes and overhaul of the electric fitting.

UT officials claim the previous occupant, former UT adviser KK Sharma, never asked for renovations during his stay in the house.

Now, according to the tenders, the house will have a modular kitchen and its entrance will be decorated with wood carvings.

This is not the first time that a huge amount is being spent on renovation of houses of senior UT administration officials. The budget for such works is sanctioned under the plan and non-plan head.

Recently the Congress party alleged the administration wasted money on renovations at the government house in Sector 7, allotted to member parliament Kirron Kher. However UT officials retorted back saying the money spent on Kher’s house was much less than usually spent on such houses.

But the UT engineering department has all along maintained that the budget allocation for such works was well within the limits. Adviser Dev, out of the country these days, was not available for comment despite attempts.