JK Govt says only Rs 4.5 crore to be spent on CM residence

Srinagar, June 12 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today said only Rs 4-4.5 crore, and not the ''exaggerated'' amount of Rs 11-15 crore as suggested by some media reports, would be spent on the renovation of the Chief Minister's residence at Hari Niwas Palace here.

In a statement here, the Director Estates denied the report carried by a section of media regarding the huge expenditure incurred on the renovation of Hari Niwas Palace.

He termed as ''highly exaggerated and malicious propaganda against the state government'' the report suggesting that an expenditure of Rs 11-15 crore had been incurred on the renovation of Chief Minister's residence.

''The figures quoted in the report are highly exaggerated. In fact during the tenure of then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, the Chief Minister's designated residence at Maulana Azad Road here was declared unsafe on security grounds,'' the Director clarified.

As a consequence of which, a site was selected for construction of the Chief Minister's residence near the Hari Niwas building, he said.

The Director further said the initial estimates for construction of an independent residence for the Chief Minister was approximately more than Rs 15 crore.

The construction work was taken up but subsequently abandoned because of the intervention of the High Court, he added.

''In light of this, the state Cabinet decided to convert the Hari Niwas building, being used as CID Headquarters, into a full-fledged Chief Minister's residence, a guest house, a private office of the Chief Minister and a Cabinet Hall,'' the Director said.

Therefore, he said the Estates Department took up the task of renovation of the building and its conversion into a full-fledged residence-cum-private office for the Chief Minister of the state.

''The media report is nothing but a malicious propaganda. The total amount spent so far on the renovation of Hari Niwas Palace is only Rs one crore and the estimated cost may go up to Rs 4-4.5 crore, including the amount already incurred. It is reiterated that no fresh construction has been taken up at the site. Only the existing structure is being renovated to make it suitable for use by a person of the stature of a Chief Minister of a state,'' he said.

UNI