No major polls, but Gujarat government to spend near Rs 250 cr

It is surprising that no major polls are to be held in the fiscal year 2018-19 but the Gujarat government has estimated the expense of Rs. 247.28 crore for the elections. The government has put the demand of the said amount in the budget presented recently during ongoing assembly session.

The government had estimated the expense of Rs. 320.16 crore in the year 2017-18 as the assembly polls and other local polls also were to fall in the same year, against that the government has revised the estimate of the expenses and that has reduced at 309.93 crores only. The government had earmarked grants of Rs. 210 crore for assembly elections only and spent the same amount.

The state government has estimated the expenditure of Rs. 100 crore for the purpose of construction of strong rooms to keep EVMs and ballot units. The government has also proposed the expense of Rs. 44.18 crore for the voters' roll revision, printing of voters list and updating of the same. The expenditure estimated in the previous year was Rs. 42.87 crore.

The revised estimate for voters' sensitisation has reached at Rs. 4.60 crores in 2017-18 against budgeted grants of Rs. 2.70 crore. For the year 2018-19, the expense for the same is estimated at Rs. 50 lakh only.