New Delhi: In a move that has sparked debate, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office is spending a whopping Rs 54 lakh per month to maintain his social media accounts, both official and personal, according to an RTI reply.
This expenditure has raised eyebrows, especially amidst allegations that the Congress government is struggling to pay contractors for various development projects due to a lack of funds.
RTI activist Marlinga Gowda Mali Patil, who filed the plea, highlighted the seemingly exorbitant cost, questioning why such a sum is being allocated while “development work had come to a standstill.”
CMO officials, while confirming the expenditure, pointed out that it is significantly less than the Rs 2 crore per month spent by previous Chief Ministers. The details, provided by the Karnataka State Marketing Communication and Advertising Ltd (MCA), reveal that the CMO paid close to Rs 3 crore from October 25th last year to March 2024, with the majority of the funds going to The Policy Front, a company managing Siddaramaiah’s social media accounts with a dedicated team of 35.
According to the details in response to the RTI, the CMO paid around Rs 53.9 lakh every month, including 18% GST.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah in a meeting with Suman Bery, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, last week in Bengaluru, highlighted that the state government’s “Five Guarantees” program, which includes direct income support schemes for women, free domestic power, subsidised food, free bus travel for women and unemployment stipends for youth, stating that it’s costing over Rs 52,000 crore per year. He considers it the largest income support initiative by any state government, aimed at promoting equitable growth and inclusivity.