E-Paper
In 5 yrs, Haryana govt spent ₹42.3 cr on Gita Mahotsav
Aiming to promote the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita worldwide, the BJP-led Haryana government had spent ₹42
Aiming to promote the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita worldwide, the BJP-led Haryana government had spent ₹42.33 crore in organising the International Gita Mahotsav (IGM) in the last five years (between 2016 and 2020).
Most of the expenditure occurred on organising the religious extravaganza in Kurukshetra, other districts of Haryana, and abroad. It included expenditure of foreign tours of officials, religious gurus and media persons for organising the Mahotsav.
The information provided by the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB), in reply to an RTI application filed by Panipat-based advocate Amit Rathee, revealed that of total ₹42.3 crore, ₹9.59 crore was spent in 2016.
A maximum of ₹15.19 crore was spent in 2017, followed by ₹11.07 crore in 2018, and ₹6.28 core in 2019, revealed the reply.
The yearly average on the expenditure remained around ₹10 crore since 2016. But in 2020, the KDB could not organise the event on a large scale due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions.
But a small ceremony was held at the cost of ₹0.17 crore, including ₹3.40 lakh spent on food and refreshments.
The KDB had organised Gita Mahotsav in the United Kingdom and Mauritius as well. A similar event was scheduled to be held in Australia in March last year but was put off due to the pandemic.
KDB honorary secretary Madan Mohan Chhabra told HT that the expenditures on the IGM is gradually coming down. He said the money was spent by the government via KDB and included all expenditures of events organised across state and in different countries.
Chhabra, however, made it clear that there are no religious motives behind the expenditure. The aim is to provide facilities and infrastructures to visitors and promote cultural activities, he said. “These expenditures occurred on organising different activities, maintenance of places including the Brahmasarovar, providing facilities to artistes and guests and activities done in different countries,” he added.
The KDB officials said the event provides a platform to craftsmen and artistes to showcase their skills and talents as the fortnightly crafts fair organised at the Brahmasarovar that lakhs of people visit. The KDB is also working on come out with more plans to generate income and provide better facilities to the visitors, they said.
