Chavan Questions Rs 35,000-Crore Nashik Kumbh Budget
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Mahayuti government, Mr Chavan, a veteran Congress leader, alleged that the Rs 35,000-crore allocation in the name of the Kumbh Mela was an exercise to “make money and issue tenders for the benefit of contractors and sub-contractors”.
Mumbai: Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday questioned the state government’s proposed Rs 35,000-crore expenditure on the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027, asking whether public money was being spent on Nashik’s development or religious propagation. He also questioned the basis for the government’s estimate that six crore people would attend the event, noting that around 40 lakh devotees had attended the previous Kumbh.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Mahayuti government, Mr Chavan, a veteran Congress leader, alleged that the Rs 35,000-crore allocation in the name of the Kumbh Mela was an exercise to “make money and issue tenders for the benefit of contractors and sub-contractors”.
He further alleged that the Kumbh Mela was being used to “loot public money”. “The Nashik Metropolitan Region Development Authority comes under the Urban Development Department (UDD), but I did not find any role of Eknath Shinde, who heads the UDD,” he said.
Questioning the scale of preparations and expenditure, Mr Chavan said around Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 3,500 crore had been spent on the previous Kumbh, which drew approximately 40 lakh devotees. “Now, the government has directly allocated a budget of Rs 35,000 crore and is claiming that six crore people will attend. But has the government conducted any study to determine how many people are actually expected to attend? No project report has been prepared on this,” he said.
Mr Chavan also questioned the basis for the Rs 35,000-crore budget and whether Nashik residents had been consulted about their priorities for the city. He said every tourist destination had a carrying capacity and questioned whether Nashik would be able to handle such a large influx of visitors.
“If 40 lakh people come for the Shahi Snan, will we be able to provide basic amenities such as toilets?” he asked.
He also asked whether the government had conducted an environmental assessment to determine the impact of waste generated during the Mela, particularly if it were discharged into the Godavari river. “If six crore people actually come, will Nashik be able to bear the burden of such a large number of people?” he asked.
Taking a swipe at Maharashtra minister and Nashik guardian minister Girish Mahajan, Mr Chavan said that although Mr Mahajan had been appointed the district’s ‘guardian minister’, “he behaves as if he has become the Chief Minister of Nashik.”