Catering bills at CM, DCM bungalows expected to be ₹5 crore per year

Mumbai: After the controversy over the food bills of ₹2.38 crore in three months at chief minister Eknath Shinde’s official bungalow — Varsha — recently, the state government has appointed caterers at the annual cost of ₹3.5 crore. The cost of the catering services at official bungalow of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis — Sagar — will be around ₹1.5 crore.

State government issued a government resolution on Thursday announcing the appointment of Sukh Sagar Hospitality and Chhatradhari Caterers at Varsha and Sagar. The appointment is for the next two years beginning April 10. The government has also appointed a committee of officials to monitor the quality, quantity and the price of food.

According to the finalised rate card, the vegetarian food per plate will cost ₹160 and the non-vegetarian plates at ₹175. Special vegetarian lunch will cost ₹325 and dinner ₹160 a plate. The tea cup costs ₹18 and ₹13 for a cup of coffee while the high tea costs ₹70 per person.

“Though the government offices including Mantralaya and Sahyadri guest house are managed by the government’s own catering services. The official bungalows of the CM and his deputy, however, have been managed by private caterers for years. The expenditure at the Dy CM’s bungalow is expected to be lower as the number of meetings held by CM are much more,” said an official from Mantralaya.

A controversy had erupted recently after an RTI revealed that the food bills at Varsha, for the first three months of the Shinde-Fadnavis government, was ₹2.38 crore.

Leader of opposition Ajit Pawar had slammed Shinde and questioned if the CM was serving ‘golden tea’ to his guests. Shinde had replied that he was people’s chief minister and spending on hospitality was a part of it.