Chattisgarh Govt Pays Rs.1.4 crore to Kareena Kapoor for an 8-minute Show

The Chhattisgarh government paid Rs.1.40 crore to Kareena Kapoor for her performance lasting less than eight minutes at a function held on the occasion of Chattisgarh’s first anniversary celebrations.

The total amount paid to the 245 artists – of whom 42 were from outside the state – who participated in the State Foundation celebrations (Rajyotsva 2012) from 1st November to 7th November 2012 is Rs.5,21,22,500.

Brijmohan Agrawal holding charge of Public Works, Culture, and Tourism ministries furnished this information in a written reply to Mohammed Akbar (Congress) in Chattisgarh assembly.

The amounts paid to other artists for their performances on the occasion are: Sonu Nigam (Rs.36,50,000), Sunidhi Chauhan (Rs.32,00,000), Dia Mirza (Rs.25,00,000), Himesh Reshamia (Rs.24,00,000) and Pankaj Udhas (Rs.90,000).

The expenditure incurred on inviting the artistes and their travel stands at Rs.54,62,461 while the expenditure on their lodging and food is Rs 11,67,956.

If we add other expenditure to these, the figure is bound to knock the daylights out of every sensible citizen.

It is a national shame spending Rs.1.4 crore on an 8-minute dance performance when millions in the state and the country are languishing in hunger and poverty.

Do we have to spend so much money on these occasions – and on cinema actors in particular? This money, let us remember, comes from the taxes paid by the public and the public expects responsible utilisation of the money.

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