The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has registered a case against state Chief Secretary Avni Vaishya for organising a dinner for about 250 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers at the taxpayers’ money. Officials have denied the charge.
Complainant Ajay Dubey, a member of Transparency International, alleged that a sum of Rs.1.5 lakh was routed from public funds to foot the bill of the dinner hosted at a private club here on Oct 8, 2010. The dinner was organised under the aegis of IAS Officers Association Service.
Dubey had collected copies of bills through a Right to Information (RTI) plea and furnished these before the Lokayukta.
“I had written to Lokayukta saying that where a large number of people are living under below poverty line in Madhya Pradesh and deaths are taking place from malnutrition whereas the senior influential officers are misusing public funds. It is very shameful,” Dubey told .
The chief secretary could not be contacted for a reaction. Government officials, however, sought to refute the allegations, saying the dinner was purely a government affair and the bills were paid by general administration department (GAD) in compliance with norms and after all necessary sanctions were taken.
It should be not a surprise, because this practise is seen in every department.