Height of extravagance: In 3 years, Maharashtra ministers spend Rs21 crore on maintenance & renovation of bungalows

If you ever wondered how your ministers lived in their bungalows, then this is worth a read. In three years, maintenance and renovation work of ministers’ bungalows has cost the government over Rs21 crore.  

The list of the above works carried out by the public works department (PWD) given under RTI states that of all the money spent, the most was for bungalows occupied by Dilip Valse Patil, Harshvardhan Patil and Sunil Tatkare. The list is non-exhaustive because details are provided for 27 to 39 bungalows in the three-year period. 

Each of these three minister’s bungalows saw expenses of Rs1.17 crore, Rs1.17 crore and Rs1.16 crore respectively. The figures provided to RTI activist Chetan Kothari show that the yearly expense on the renovation work has, however, reduced every year. While the total expense in 2010-2011 was Rs15.68 crore, it fell to Rs3.45 crore in 2011-12 and further to Rs2.21 crore in 2012-13. 

The drop, however, does not reflect in the number of bungalows that underwent repair work. Almost all bungalows have seen work carried out each year. As per the details given, bungalows including those of the chief minister, deputy chief minister and home minister have seen repair work carried out year after year. 

In three years, the amounts spent on the CM’s bungalow have been Rs24.60 lakh, Rs15.50 lakh and Rs33.05 lakh. Ajit Pawar’s bungalow saw expenses of Rs15 lakh, Rs6.32 lakh and Rs37.98. On RR Patil’s bungalow the money spent was Rs40.70 lakh, Rs7.50 lakh and Rs20.76 lakh.   

CM Prithviraj Chavan’s bungalow, Varsha

RR Patil said, “Behind my bungalow, there are some servants quarters. These are not just of those who work at my bungalow but also of those who work for some other ministers as well. As per my information, an office building was made and work for the servants’ quarters was carried out. As for my own bungalow, I do not think any (prominent) work was carried out. I stay here alone as my family lives in the village; so, too much money cannot possibly be spent. I will get more details tomorrow and can tell you then.”

“I am not aware of the expenses. It is better you enquire with the PWD. They do not carry out the work under our instructions. They alone know the estimates and the expenses,” said Dilip Walse-Patil, speaker of the state Assembly.   

The cabinet minister for water resources (excluding Krishna Valley Irrigation Corporation) has similar reason to provide. Sunil Tatkare said, “I am staying there since 2005. It (renovation) was required as it is an old structure. The PWD has done the work as per requirement.”  

Harshwardhan Patil, minister for co-operation and parliamentary affairs, did not get back to dna. Satish Lalit, public relations officer to CM said that he would get back. Calls and messages to Ajit Pawar went unanswered. 

K Patil, executive engineer of PWD, explaining why the works had to be carried out each year, said: “It is not necessary that we do the complete (renovation) thing at once. Sometimes, the hall must have been passed for repairs while at other times the regular repairs may have been carried out. Sometimes, we do it as per requirement, like taking up of servant quarters, leakage work and also as per the ministers’ requirement. They inform us and we do things according to the amount allowed as per the norms. If what they say is too exorbitant, we do it as per the normal requirement.”

The maintenance and renovation include works not just in bungalows but also in guest rooms and offices, staff quarters, that of fixing roofs, painting, furniture among others. 
RTI activist Chetan Kothari said, “If we renovate our home once, we do not see the need to do it again for five years. Renovating the bungalows each year amounts only to misuse of money. The problem is that each time a minister is given a place to stay, he wants the place redone as per his requirements.”