If an amendment to a state government decision means anything, big events costing Rs25 crore or more graced by VVIPs will no longer be hosted in future.
A state directive issued on Friday has amended its earlier decision to host an event where a gathering of three lakh people is expected. As per the previous decision, the sanctioned cost for events attended by 50,000 and one lakh people would apply.
The state directives, issued in January, intended to cap different costs for events organised at different places. The VVIP events, where top dignitaries from the Central and the state government were guests, incur huge costs, which is required for a temporary helipad, podiums, barricading, chairs and pandal, parking, electrification and green rooms for the VVIPs.
A series of big events were organised before the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly elections, a few of which invited criticism for the large amount spent from the state treasury. Since such a cost would differ from place to place, the state issued clear directives to cap the expenditure.
For an event where 50,000 people were expected, the state approved cost of hosting it is Rs5.05 crore, and it is Rs9.08 crore for an event where one lakh people are expected. For an event with three lakh people, the cost was Rs25 crore. Now the amended order has dropped the provision for the events where 3 lakh people are expected.
It means there would not be a pre-sanctioned cost for hosting such events. It may serve two purposes – first, no such big events will be held to save costs, and even if it is necessary, approvals by the state government would be necessary, said informed sources. The state approval may need explanations from the concerned department as well.
