BENGALURU: A whopping Rs 20 lakh was spent on a table, chairs and a carpet for the chambers of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara. Exactly a month after Parameshwara took charge in May last year, it was decided to renovate his chambers at Vidhana Soudha and Rs 70 lakh was sanctioned for it. The order for the various renovation works to be taken up at Room Nos. 327 and 328, were issued on June 26, 2018.

A notification was issued by the PWD and an exemption given under Section 4G of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act 1999. 

Sources in PWD said no civil renovations were taken up and they just changed the interiors of one room. A senior PWD official said, “No major renovations are ordered. It is related to small works like purchase of a table, chairs and a carpet and around Rs 20 lakh was spent.” He said they are yet to start work in the other room.

When the CM cut funds for events like the Hampi Utsav as part of austerity measures, Rs 70 lakh budgeted for the renovation works has raised eyebrows. Marilingegowda Mali Patil, an RTI activist, said, “What is the need to get exemption from the KTTP Act and why renovate the chamber using public money? We want the CM to look into it.” DyCM was not available for comment.