Uttarakhand spent Rs 2.8 cr on luxury cars: RTI

During the coronavirus pandemic, the health department of the Uttarakhand splurged Rs 2.8 crore to buy new luxury cars for its officials, an RTI query has revealed. A total of 36 cars, costing between Rs 7-15 lakh each, were bought by the department.

Haldwani (Uttarakhand): The Uttarakhand Health Department spent a total sum of Rs 2.82 crore to buy 36 luxury cars for its officials during the coronavirus pandemic, an RTI query revealed.

RTI activist Ravishankar Joshi, a resident of Haldwani's Gaulapar, said he had sought the account of expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it came to light that the health department had bought several new vehicles.

One luxury car worth Rs 15 lakh was bought for the office of the Director-General (Health), while a total of seven cars worth Rs eight lakh each were bought for the upper and finance directors.

Similarly, two cars worth Rs eight lakh each were bought for the directors of the Kumaon and Garhwal divisions.

Meanwhile, cars worth Rs eight lakh each were bought for the chief medical officers of all 13 districts for a sum total of Rs 1.4 crore.

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Similarly, cars worth Rs seven lakh each were bought for the offices of the CMOs of 13 districts for a sum total of Rs 91 lakh.

At present, when the financial situation of the state is bad, the health department officials have switched over to new luxury cars. Instead of improving the health facilities, they are working for their own development, Joshi said.