Former CM, ministers claimed Rs 1.52 Cr as TA,DA, telephone expenses

Shimla, Mar 17 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his Cabinet colleagues claimed a sum of over Rs 1.52 crore on their telephones bills, Traveling and Dearness Allowances during the last five years, official sources said.

A sum of Rs 1,52,65,000 were claimed by Mr Singh and his Cabinet colleagues towards telephone bills, TA and DA from April 1, 2003 to December 28, 2007, the sources told UNI here.

They said the former Chief Minister's expenses during the last five years alone touched Rs 18.88 lakh, while his Cabinet colleagues claimed Rs 70.86 lakh, of which Rs 33.08 lakh were towards travelling expenses and Rs 48.69 lakh towards TA and DA.

Mr Singh spent a sum of Rs 15.82 lakh towards telephone bills, Rs 28,415 as TA and Rs 2.77 lakh as Dearness Allowance.

Former Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan proved to be the second most ''expensive'' minister in the previous Congress Government as far as telephone bills and payment of TA and DA was concerned.

Of the Rs 16.96 lakh spent by him during the last five years, Rs 6.81 lakh was spent on telephone bills, and Rs 5.29 and Rs 4.86 lakh respectively as TA and DA claims, the sources added.

Former Industries Minister Kuldeep Kumar was placed third with his total expenses running to Rs 16.60 lakh, which included Rs 6.55 lakh as telephone bills, Rs 5.14 TA and Rs 4.90 DA, the sources added.

UNI AS VKJ VN JT RK1938