Information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has exposed the extravagant spending of three former top bureaucrats from Chandigarh during an official trip to Paris in June 2015. The delegation, including the then UT advisor Vijay Dev, Secretary (Home) Anurag Agarwal, and Secretary (Personnel) Vikram Dev Dutt, attended a three-day meeting but extended their stay and upgraded their hotel accommodation at the expense of the state government. The RTI documents revealed that the officers' actions resulted in a significant loss of Rs 6,71,888 to the state exchequer. This article sheds light on the excessive spending, mutual support among the officers, and demands for action against those involved.
The three bureaucrats were part of a three-member delegation sent to Paris for a three-day meeting in June 2015. However, they left three days early on June 12. Instead of staying at the budgeted Hotel Intercontinental, which cost Rs 73,194 per night, they opted for the expensive Le Royal Monceau, with a room rate of Rs 1.51 lakh per night. The extended stay and hotel upgradation resulted in nearly double the approved budget, causing a substantial loss to the state.
According to the RTI document, the total approved budget for the trip was Rs 17,96,083. However, the actual expenses incurred by the three officials amounted to Rs 24,67,971, leading to a loss of Rs 6,71,888 for the state government. The expenditure details revealed that UT advisor Vijay Dev spent Rs 11,28,971, instead of the initially sanctioned Rs 6,57,775. Similarly, Anurag Agarwal and Vikram Dev Dutt exceeded their sanctioned budgets by spending Rs 6.61 lakhs and Rs 6.78 lakhs, respectively.
The RTI documents exposed how the three bureaucrats attempted to help each other settle their travel bills. Vikram Dev Dutt revised the sanctioned budget for Vijay Dev from Rs 5,57,775 to Rs 11,28,971 on July 27, 2015. In return, Vijay Dev revised Anurag Agarwal's expenditure from Rs 5,61,308 to Rs 6.61 lakhs on the same date. Furthermore, Vijay Dev also revised Vikram Dev Dutt's sanction from Rs 5.77 lakhs to Rs 6.78 lakhs on July 27, 2015.
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In response to the revelations, the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) and the Saakaaar Foundation have demanded action against the officers involved in the extravagant spending. They called for accountability and a thorough investigation into the matter. FOSWAC President Baljinder Singh Bittu stressed the need for capping expenses and recovering the misused public funds from the officers responsible.
The misuse of funds during an official trip to Paris by three former Chandigarh bureaucrats has raised concerns about financial accountability. The excessive spending and mutual support among the officers have come to light through the RTI documents. Demands for action and an impartial investigation highlight the importance of ensuring transparency and responsibility in public spending. Such incidents underscore the need for stricter controls and measures to prevent the misuse of public funds in the future.
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