Shocking: Exchequer pays Rs 30 lac/month for Karnataka Governor's luxurious lifestyle
Bengaluru: The political parties always arrive into the electoral fray in India by commonly raking the long-unresolved issue of unemployment. However, in a subtle sarcastic scene, the Karnataka Rajbhavan alone employed 161 people for various works of the governor making the exchequer to bear the expenses at whopping Rs 30,00,000 per month.
A Right to Information (RTI) petition has brought the expenses of the Rajbhavan into the spotlight. The RTI papers are in the possession of OneIndia.
The Rajbhavan daily undergoes sweeping with 17 sweepers cleaning the public office and each earning the salary of Rs 14,550 a month. The government has roped in 5 Masalachis (masseurs) for the Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala to rejoice cozy massaging at the Rajbhavan and each are paid Rs 14,550 per month.
Retaining the bygone trend, the office has a cyclist whose job is to send immediate messages to near by government offices. And guess what? He is one of the handsomely paid workers, with Rs 21,000 smiling in his pocket every month.
'Khalasi' -- the name modern day citizens are not familiar with, is a separate section dedicated for governor's work. Khalasi is the person who cleanses and maintains utensils.
The Bungalow of the governor consists 5 such workers and the monthly expenses for them goes up to Rs 72,750. The office has hired 2 people as cleaners and exchequer pay Rs 29,100 a month to realise their services.
The governor, who appears to be a white horse for the government to look after, has eight contract employees whose assignments are not specified in the RTI reply. The spending on them is exorbitant, i.e. Rs 90,192 a month.
The governor, who represents President of India in the state, also has dedicated painter, carpenter and seven Dhobis (cloth washer man). The gross money spending on them reaches Rs 1,30,950.
The first citizen of Karnataka has a surgeon (Rs 50,100), staff nurse (Rs 32,000) male nurse (Rs 14,550) and female nurse (Rs 14,550). The governor has stenographer and typist to print orders and communication. While steno's pay scale is stipulated at Rs 29,600 the typist's at Rs 21,000. It could be observed that both typist and cyclist enjoy the same pay scale.
The Governor's office to the same RIT query refused to divulge information regarding salary details of Secretary to Governor, Private Secretary to Governor, Under Secretary to the Governor and Officer on Special Duty to Governor.
In the provided list of employees and pay scales the top paid employees are Deputy Secretary to the Governor and ADC to Governor. Both bureaucrats are paid Rs 56,550 a month.
RTI activist T Narasimha Murthy said the government has been spending exorbitant sum for one person's comfort. He likened governor's condition to the days of kingdom and dynasty era where a king used to enjoy royal treatment by deputing massive work machine to serve the majesty.
"The system of encouraging dynasty style of lifestyle has to be stopped and democracy must be materialised to the fullest," he opined.
Sl.No | Designation | No. of Staff's | Pay Scale | Total Amount |
1 | Secretary to Governor | 01 | ? | ? |
2 | Deputy Secretary to Governor | 01 | 56,550.00 | 56,550.00 |
3 | ADC to Governor (AD Camp-Frenh Word) | 02 | 56,550.00 | 1,13,100.00 |
4 | Under Secretary to Governor | 02 | 45,300.00 | 90,600.00 |
5 | Private Secretary to Governor | 01 | ? | 0 |
6 | OSD to Governor (Officer on Special Duty) | 01 | ? | 0 |
7 | Personal Attendant (Page No 9) | 01 | ? | 0 |
8 | Surgeon to Governor | 01 | 50,100.00 | 50,100.00 |
9 | Staff Nurse (Page No 5) | 01 | 32,000.00 | 32,000.00 |
10 | Male Nursing (Page No 7) | 01 | 14,550.00 | 14,550.00 |
11 | Female Nursing (Page No 7) | 01 | 14,550.00 | 14,550.00 |
12 | Pharmacist | 01 | 24,000.00 | 24,000.00 |
13 | Personal Assistant (Page No 3) | 02 | 43,200.00 | 86,400.00 |
14 | Section Officer | 04 | 43,200.00 | 1,72,800.00 |
15 | Manager | 01 | 36,300.00 | 36,300.00 |
16 | Senior Assistant | 04 | 36,300.00 | 1,45,200.00 |
17 | Stenographer | 06 | 29,600.00 | 1,77,600.00 |
18 | Assistant | 08 | 29,600.00 | 2,36,800.00 |
19 | Junior Assistant | 08 | 21,000.00 | 1,68,000.00 |
20 | Typist | 03 | 21,000.00 | 63,000.00 |
21 | Library Assistant | 01 | 21,000.00 | 21,000.00 |
22 | Telephone Operator | 04 | 21,000.00 | 84,000.00 |
23 | Driver | 01 | 15,600.00 | 15,600.00 |
24 | Cyclist | 01 | 21,000.00 | 21,000.00 |
25 | Jamedar | 12 | 16,400.00 | 1,96,800.00 |
26 | Dalayat | 14 | 14,550.00 | 2,03,700.00 |
27 | Cook | 04 | 16,400.00 | 65,600.00 |
28 | Butler | 06 | 16,400.00 | 98,400.00 |
29 | Bearer | 09 | 14,550.00 | 1,30,950.00 |
30 | Masalchi | 05 | 14,550.00 | 72,750.00 |
31 | Khalasi | 08 | 14,550.00 | 1,16,400.00 |
32 | Sweeper | 17 | 14,550.00 | 2,47,350.00 |
33 | Cleaner | 02 | 14,550.00 | 29,100.00 |
34 | Dhobi | 07 | 14,550.00 | 1,01,850.00 |
35 | Carpenter | 01 | 14,550.00 | 14,550.00 |
36 | Painter | 01 | 14,550.00 | 14,550.00 |
37 | Contract Employees | 08 |
16,600.00
+
11,600.00
+ 9,600.00 + 9,600.00 + 9,600.00 + 9,600.00 + 16,596.00 + 16,596.00 | 90,192.00 |
Total | 161 | 30,05,342.00 |
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